Providing healthcare information in a member’s preferred language is essential for improving accessibility, reducing support calls, and creating a better digital experience. Whether you’re serving multilingual populations in the United States or members around the world, a translated health insurance portal can help remove communication barriers.
This FAQ explains how HPS’ portal translation works, what elements can and cannot be translated, and what to expect during the implementation process.
What Languages Can a Health Insurance Portal Be Translated Into?
The HPS portal can be translated into a wide variety of languages, including common Latin-based languages such as Spanish, French, and Italian, as well as more complex character-based languages such as Arabic, Chinese, and Vietnamese.
Because the portal supports multiple language character sets, organizations can provide a consistent digital experience to diverse member populations.
What Parts of the Portal Can Be Translated?
Organizations can customize and translate many of the member-facing elements throughout the portal, including:
- Buttons
- Field Labels
- Tabs
- Column Headers
- Page Titles
- Page Subtitles
Translating these interface elements helps members navigate the portal comfortably in their preferred language while maintaining a consistent user experience.
What Portal Content Cannot Be Translated?
Some information cannot be automatically translated because it originates outside the portal environment. These include:
- Member-specific data originating from your claim processing system or core administration platform
- Documents or web content that have only been uploaded or created in English
To provide multilingual access to content, translated versions of documents and web page content should be created and uploaded separately.
How Does the Portal Translation Process Work?
Because health insurance terminology can be complex, HPS does not rely on machine-generated translations for portal navigation and interface elements. Instead, we recommend using professional translators with experience in healthcare and health insurance communications. This helps ensure translated content is accurate, contextually appropriate, and easy for members to understand.
The goal is to create a fully translated member experience while ensuring terminology remains accurate and consistent across the portal. The process generally includes the following steps:
- Confirm your English portal labels are what you’d like them to be.
- HPS downloads your labels into a spreadsheet. If we have labels that are already in the language you desire, we’ll download those too.
- Translation is done by your team or a professional firm.
- HPS loads the translated labels to the portal and adjusts the design for additional spacing required.
- Members can easily change the language and navigate your portal in their preferred language.
Can I Upload Documents in Multiple Languages?
Yes. Documents that have been professionally translated can be uploaded to the portal and assigned a language designation. Members can then filter, search, and view content based on their language preferences.
This makes it easier to distribute plan information, notices, forms, and educational materials to diverse member populations.
Can Portal Live Chat Translate Conversations in Real Time?
Yes. HPS’ Live Chat can automatically translate conversations in 52 languages.
When a member submits a message in their preferred language, the representative sees the message translated into English. Responses written in English are then translated back into the member’s language.
This helps organizations provide timely support without requiring bilingual staff for every language they serve.
Frequently Asked Questions About Portal Translation
Does HPS use Artificial Intelligence (AI) to translate portal labels?
No. HPS recommends using professional human translators who understand healthcare and insurance terminology to ensure translations are accurate and contextually appropriate.
Why is human translation preferred for health insurance portals?
Insurance terminology can have different meanings depending on context. Human translators help ensure language is accurate, culturally appropriate, and understandable to members.
Can members switch between languages themselves?
Yes. Members can easily select their preferred language and navigate the portal using translated interface elements.
Does portal translation also translate claim information?
No. Claim data and other information originating from core systems remain unchanged unless translated versions are provided by those systems.
Bridge the Language Barrier with a Multilingual Member Portal
Supporting members in their preferred language can improve accessibility, reduce communication challenges, and create a better digital experience. HPS helps health insurance administrators (Payers) provide multilingual portal experiences while maintaining accurate healthcare terminology and a consistent user experience.
Schedule a demo to learn how portal translation can help you better serve diverse member populations.
