Data from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) indicates that at least 1 million Americans are functionally deaf, and about half of them are aged 65 or older. This means that there is dire need for sign language interpreters in every institution, including hospitals and other health facilities. For this reason, the federal government requires hospitals and other health institutions that receive government funding to provide sign language interpretation for hospitals services as well as translation for deaf clients, the hard of hearing, and those with limited English proficiency. Here’s a detailed look at the laws that govern the use of sign language interpretation for hospitals in the US.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Any problem with communication in the hospital can lead to misdiagnosis and other serious problems, which can potentially lead to fatalities and permanent disabilities. To give you an idea, communication issues are among the leading causes of medical mistakes, as published in the HIPAA Journal. Thankfully, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) aims at shielding deaf patients from such medical mistakes by obligating hospitals to provide verbal and sign language interpreters for enhanced communication. While pointing at things and writing on pieces of paper can be effective ways of communication for simple conversations such as asking for a patient’s room number, complex issues such as diagnosis require a qualified sign language interpreter to be present.
Affordable Care Act (ACA)
Signed by the former US president Barack Obama, the Affordable Care Act’s main purpose is to make healthcare affordable for all Americans, including those earning below 133% of the federal poverty level. Additionally, it also aims at protecting the oppressed Americans by making health insurance accessible to them. The Affordable Care Act also requires all hospitals that receive Medicare, Medicaid, and funding from other federal health programs to provide sign language interpreters and translators for those with hearing impairment and limited English proficiency.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
This law aims at protecting Americans from discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as color, ethnicity, disability, religion, and age. Similarly, it obligates health institutions to provide equitable services to the deaf, including providing sign language interpreters for them to make communication effective.
Conclusion
These some of the laws that protect the deaf, the hard of hearing, and those who can’t speak English proficiently in the US. These laws help to enhance communication in hospitals and other public institutions in America.
