Helping Dräger save lives with vital communications during Covid-19

Drager produces a wide range of essential technical products from ventilators and incubators to gas detectors and breathing apparatus. Understandably, they require high quality local language versions of a wide range of their customer communication and product information. 

These communication materials need to be carefully localised for each target market. This requires both precise translation and effective technical marketing copy. Dräger considered a number of potential service providers before eventually choosing Albion Languages based on knowledge of Dräger’s specific market niches, text quality, personal service and competitive turnaround times.

From March 2020 onwards, Dräger faced a new and unexpected challenge: what and how to communicate locally during the Covid-19 pandemic. 

This challenge included three key related elements:

• Global demand for vital medical ventilators and medical personal protective equipment was sure to outstrip supply 
• Many health systems were forced to consider emergency measures such as so-called “off-label” (i.e. not according to the approved indications) use of equipment for ventilation purposes or reuse of single patient use consumables and accessories 
• Dräger also had responsibilities during the pandemic period to ensure the safety of its own staff, as well as of its facilities, all of which required careful communication.

Faced with this complex challenge, Dräger needed to ensure that its local communication was precise and unambiguous. It was vital to outline the many efforts it was taking as a company to drastically increase production capacity. Customers also needed to be made aware of the unavoidable limits on short-term global supply. 

As regards off-label use of its devices, the company wished to stress that such use fell outside the relevant indications. At the same time, Dräger needed to provide detailed information on how users could still ensure the highest possible levels of safety. 

Experience and research. We started by drawing on our extensive experience in translating for Dräger and other leading medical device firms. Given the fast-changing nature of the pandemic, we also did our own research to ensure we were always up to date with the latest sector developments. 

Accuracy and urgency. The usual need for very high precision translation became vital. Faultless quality assurance was also a must. We adapted our usual working procedures to be able to complete Covid-19 related bulletins to whatever strict deadlines were required. This was due to health facilities needing to receive the very latest advice on device use as quickly as possible. 

By careful monitoring of the wider pandemic crisis and focusing in on the specifics of the client’s sector, we were able to understand the background to the client’s messaging, as well as the urgency. We then established a project team based on know-how and availability that grasped the unique nature of this international health crisis. The client was thus able to deliver very timely, precise communication to its health sector customers in local markets as they combat the pandemic.

Our work was greatly assisted by the quality management team at Dräger who provided invaluable guidance in project setup, as well as in handling all of our queries.

Find out more about Albion Languages’ medical translation experience and how we could support you in your continued business success.