Laurel Hospital to Staff Sign Language Interpreters
Laurel Hospital has entered into a consent decree with the Department of Justice and several of the hospital’s patients to begin providing interpreters for American Sign Language on a round-the-clock basis. The Department of Justice had filed the suit under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which requires that hospitals must be able to effectively communicate with persons with speech, hearing, and visual impairments. According to the Department of Justice’s press release, effective communication is especially important in settings where the patient is being given detailed information about symptoms, diagnosis and treatment.
Beginning as soon as possible, Laurel will start providing interpreters both on-site and via video. This is the first time that the Department of Justice has entered into such an agreement and allowed for video interpreting systems. The consent decree requires that any video interpretation be delay-free, clear, high-quality, and in full motion video and audio. While this technology has been used effectively in business and classroom settings, it presents special challenges in a hospital, where patients may not be able to move their arms and hands properly to perform sign language.
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