title: Caring for patients who are deaf or hard of hearing.
abstract: Patients who are deaf and hard of hearing often find the American healthcare system to be inaccessible due to communication barriers. This article describes facilities' and providers' requirements under the Americans with Disabilities Act to provide qualified interpreters and other assistive devices to patients who are deaf or hard of hearing. Removing communication barriers can protect healthcare providers from potential legal action and lets them deliver consistent, quality healthcare to all patients.
authors.affiliation: Heather L. Brown is an assistant professor at Mercer University in Atlanta, Ga. Aileen Hughes-Bell is an assistant US attorney for the northern district of Georgia in the US Attorney's Office in Atlanta, Ga. Anna W. McDuffie is a freelance sign language interpreter with AEWebb and Associates in Atlanta, Ga. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
authors.forename: Heather L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Aileen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hughes-Bell
authors.forename: Anna W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: McDuffie
mesh_terms: D003144:Communication Barriers; D003638:Deafness; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D006801:Humans; D019986:Persons with Hearing Disabilities; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D012813:Sign Language; D014175:Translating