Are hospitals required to provide interpreters for Deaf or hard of hearing patients, family members or visitors?
The simple answer is yes. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) does state that hospitals, emergency rooms, outpatient centers, clinics and other healthcare settings must provide effective means of communication for patients, their family members, and visitors who are Deaf or hard of hearing. For more details, please refer to the US Department of Justice’s ADA Business Brief at http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/hospcombr.
