Pharmacy Language Solutions

Translation Solutions for Pharmacies

The Challenge: Meeting the Needs of Customers with Limited English Proficiency

An increasing number of governmental and regulatory compliance policies require that pharmacies provide translation and interpreting services to their customers with Limited English Proficiency (LEP). The LEP patients need to have the same access to prescription drug information, medical instructions, and directions for medication usage as English-speaking patients. These requirements often necessitate that pharmacies provide to these patients free translation of prescription drug labels, SIGs, Consumer Medication Information (CMI), Package Inserts, Medication Guides, and Warning Labels into several foreign languages. In addition, if patients require counseling or have questions for the pharmacist, the pharmacy needs to provide interpreting services free of charge in numerous languages.

But where there is a challenge, there is also an opportunity. There are several million Americans with health insurance who are not proficient in English. These patients may not be your customers because they can't communicate with the pharmacy staff or they have trouble understanding patient instructions on the drug prescription. RxTran has the solution for pharmacies to tap into this large pool of potential customers across the country.

Providing High Quality Inexpensive Translation of Prescription Drug Labels and Patient Instructions for Use (SIG)

RxTran has developed a unique suite of translation, interpreting, and certification services for pharmacies to help them communicate with non-English speaking customers. The RxTran Suite includes:

Translation of Patient Instructions (SIGs) that does not alter your regular workflow or makes pharmacists or customers wait. Our patent-pending software solution can accurately and precisely translate both regular and custom SIGs as they are entered into your PMS system!
Instant delivery to your printer of Warning Labels and CMI / Patient Education leaflets in the language you need.
A large library of pre-translated FAQs and drug information, including descriptions on the proper use of medical devices dispensed by your pharmacy. Such educational material can help minimize the need for the more expensive over-the-phone interpreting services.
Over-the-phone interpreting service available for patients who have specific questions for the pharmacists.
Certification of Competency in Pharmacy Communication in Foreign Languages available for those of your employees who can directly and safely serve your LEP customers.

All of these services can be delivered to your stores in over a dozen languages on a low-cost and efficient pay-for-what-you-need subscription basis.

Our Value Proposition to Pharmacies

Provide your Limited English Proficiency customers with drug information they need to take medication safely
Meet regulatory requirements - Now
Increase customer retention and acquisition Rates
Reduce liability
Competitive positioning in areas with large immigrant populations

Languages We Translate

Our pharmacy solutions are currently available in the following languages:

Arabic
Bengali
Cambodian (Khmer)
Chinese Simplified
Chinese Traditional
French
German

Gujarati
Haitian Creole
Hindi
Hmong
Italian
Japanese
Korean

Polish
Portuguese
Russian
Spanish
Tagalog
Urdu
Vietnamese

If you need translation into additional languages, please let us know. We are constantly expanding our translation offerings.

What Language Services Are Required for LEP Customers?

In the last several years, some states and municipalities passed new legislation and regulations concerning provision of language services by pharmacies for patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP patients). The laws stipulate that the safety of patients who have limited understanding of the English language requires that prescription medication information has to be provided by pharmacies in the patient's primary language.

Detailed discussions of the New York State Pharmacy Translation Requirements, New York City Law on Provision of Translation Services in Pharmacies, and the 2007 California Board of Pharmacy Regulations are contained in the Pharmacy Translation Regulations pages of the site.

Generally, all of these regulations require most U.S. pharmacies to provide written translation of Patient Instructions and Directions for Use of Prescription Medication (SIGs), Auxiliary Warning Labels, and Patient Education Sheets / Consumer Medication Information (CMI) / Patient Monographs in the language your customers understand best. In addition, should the customer have specific questions about the drug for the pharmacist, and you don't have employees at hand who can provide adequate service in the customer's language, you should use a telephone interpreting service to help the pharmacist communicate drug safety information to patients.

How to Learn More about RxTran Pharmacy Language Solutions

Call Evan (617-621-0940 x. 141 or 800-240-0246) or email info@RxTran.com to find out how RxTran can help you serve the multilingual population safely and cost effectively.

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