CONTEXTS

Applied ResearchTechnical Communication in the HealthFields: Executive Order 13166 and ItsImpact on Translation and LocalizationNicole St. Germaine-McDanielAbstractPurpose: The ongoing implementation of the tenets of Executive Order (EO)13166 is helping change the focus of localization and writing for translation fortechnical communicators. In this article, I will discuss EO 13166; its impact onhospitals, clinics, and limited English proficient (LEP) populations; and how technicalcommunicators involved in translation and localization help medical professionalscomply with the law. I will provide best practice strategies for localization practices inthe health care industry worldwide.Method: This article employs a literature review of government documentation forExecutive Order 13166, as well as hospital and clinic reports of current localizationpractices designed to increase compliance with EO 13166.Results: The review of current practices indicates that much work remains to bedone by technical communicators to help hospitals and clinics comply with EO13166, especially in the areas of visual icons and other localization efforts.Conclusion: The best strategies for localizing health care information include thefollowing:1. Make the textual style of the information match that of the culture’s expectations.2. Research the preferences for graphics and color in medical documents for thetarget culture and use the preferred style in the documentation.3. Use widely recognized symbols.4. Use focus groups to test the localization strategy with representatives of the targetculture.5. Consider the content of the documentation when localizing, not just the style andformat.Keywords: localization, graphic design, health, Executive Order 13166Practitioner’sTakeaway• Technical communicators working inlocalization and health informationare poised at the forefront torevolutionize the ways in which healthcare information is localized.• Wider use of focus groups(rather than reliance on traditionalknowledge) has become essential forlocalization practices because of thetrend toward localizing for smallerand more specific populations.• Technical communicators shouldconsider the culture’s traditional viewson medical information, wellness, andillness before they attempt to localizea document in terms of textual style,graphics, and color.Volume 57, Number 3, August 2010 l Technical Communication 251