Hospitals must improve on deaf accessibility, advocates say

Hospitals have an accessibility problem when it comes to deaf and hard of hearing patients, according to the Baltimore Sun. And now Maryland's government is collaborating with the states' providers to solve it. While federal law requires translation services, disability advocates say hospitals are often inconsistent in providing them. And when they are, they often don't cover the entire visit. For example, many hospitals use video services, meaning any technical glitch leaves the patient without means of communication. "Communication is very critical so medical providers can understand what patients need and patients can understand what kind of care is being provided to them," said Kelby Brick, director of the Maryland Governor's Office of the Deaf & Hard of Hearing. "Without that information, the providers are operating in the dark, and that can have devastating consequences for the patients and increase liability for hospitals." Article