If you have a loved one with hearing loss, you should consider requesting Sign Language Interpretation for Hospitals visits. Hospitals are required by law to provide interpreters for deaf patients. However, the availability of interpreters can be problematic.

Problems with sign language interpreters

According to Howard Rosenblum, the National Association of the Deaf, hospitals often fails to provide effective communication to patients with hearing impairments. Interpreters can take hours to arrive and are not always available for the entire visit. In addition, remote interpretation via video service can experience problems with freezing screens and obstruction. One recent case involved Laura Miller, who could not see a video screen during delivery. The case was settled in favor of the hospital, but the issue plagues hospitals.

A recent survey found that one-fifth of hospitals use an interpreter that is not fluent in both languages. According to Jacobs, standardizing training would reduce the number of clinical errors related to interpretation. Although hospitals already have hundreds of qualified interpreters, they may still face challenges in ensuring that they are fully trained and equipped to meet the needs of patients. To overcome this problem, hospitals should inform hospital employees about the services of professional interpreters and provide information about them.

Lack of qualified interpreters

There is a critical shortage of certified sign language interpreters in U.S. hospitals. According to Census data, up to one out of 10 working adults in the United States has limited English proficiency. The 1964 Civil Rights Act requires healthcare facilities to provide patients with meaningful access to information and communicate with healthcare providers. This mandate includes qualified interpreters who can communicate with patients in their primary language and medical documents translated into the patient’s language.

Using professional interpreters helps improve healthcare quality for patients with hearing, sight, and speech impairments. Interpreters can help improve medical care and maximize reimbursement. Moreover, they can help patients comply with treatment instructions, reducing the risk of readmission. A lack of qualified interpreters can lead to misdiagnoses, missed details in translation, and inefficient communication. Physicians can better understand patients’ needs with an interpreter present, avoiding legal issues.

Cost of interpreters

The federal government requires hospitals to provide qualified Sign Language Interpretation for Hospitals at no cost to patients. Unfortunately, this requirement is often ignored, and hospital language services departments are viewed as cost centers. However, there are ways to reduce the costs of this service. For example, using telephonic language services to provide instant language assistance.