For people with hearing loss and deafness, communication barriers in health care result in the inability to understand critical health information. In the United States, about 1 in every 8 people of all ages has some form of hearing loss. Behind arthritis and heart disease, hearing loss is the third most common disability. (Source: HealthyHearing.com)
Hearing loss is most significant amongst seniors. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that 1 in 3 seniors in the United States who are ages 65 to 74 have hearing loss, and nearly half of the seniors over age 75 have difficulty hearing. (Source: adata.org/factsheet/healthcare-and-face-coverings).
Also, according to a research report by CRICO Strategies in Fierce HealthCare, poor communication between patients and-health care providers resulted in 1,744 patient deaths and over 1.7 billion dollars in malpractice suits over five years (2009-2013).
In this episode, we speak with two Assistant United States attorneys – Steve Gordon and Kara Sweet from the US Department of Justice – about the rights of people with hearing loss, Deafness, or other communication needs in health care settings. Our guests will also highlight cases and settlement agreements the U.S. Department of Justice has handled that deal with these rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Guests
Assistant United States Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee
Civil Rights Enforcement Coordinator and Assistant United States Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.
LISTEN
Audio: Soundcloud Episode 117: ADA and Effective Communication in Health Care Settings with the Department of Justice
Web: soundcloud.com/adalive/
READ
- Interactive Transcript for Episode 117: ADA and Effective Communication in Health Care Settings with the Department of Justice
Web: bit.ly/adalive117-captioning - Transcript: Episode 117: UADA and Effective Communication in Health Care Settings with the Department of Justice (PDF file)
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About ADA Live!
The ADA Live! podcast and resources focus on the rights and responsibilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A new episode airs for 30-45 minutes on the first Wednesday of each month. ADA Live! is produced by the Southeast ADA Center, one of ten regional ADA Centers in the ADA National Network.
No registration is required. You can submit your questions to ADA Live!, explore resources and the ADA Live! schedule plus connect to archived episodes on adalive.org or download podcasts from soundcloud.com/adalive
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Each episode features guests with unique knowledge and insights sharing their perspective on public policies that are moving the momentum forward and holding progress back. Guests from government and the business and disability communities share their perspectives on ways to translate the latest trends and thinking to advance workforce development and employment policy that produces sustainable economic opportunity for individuals with disabilities. Researchers from the three universities also share what they are learning about employment policies as part of the work of the NIDILRR grant-funded Center on Disability Inclusive Employment Policy. Tune-in at: disabilityinclusiveemployment.org/podcast-series/
The ADA Live! and Disability Rights Today podcasts are a cross-collaboration with the NIDILRR-funded Southeast ADA Center (#90DPAD0005-01-00), the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) of Syracuse University, and the NIDILRR grant-funded Rehabilitation Research and Training Center (RRTC) – Disability Inclusive Employment Practices (#90RTEM0006-01-00).
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About the Southeast ADA Center
The Southeast ADA Center is a leader in providing information, training, and guidance on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and disability access tailored to the needs of business, government, and individuals at local, state, and regional levels. It also conducts research to reduce and eliminate barriers to employment and economic self-sufficiency and to increase the civic and social participation of Americans with disabilities. Located in Lexington, Kentucky, we are a project of the Burton Blatt Institute (BBI) of Syracuse University and one of 10 regional ADA centers in the ADA National Network, funded since 1991 by the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research. Web: adasoutheast.org
About BBI
The Burton Blatt Institute (“BBI”) at Syracuse University reaches around the globe in its efforts to advance the civic, economic, and social participation of people with disabilities. Through program development, research, and public policy guidance, BBI advances the full inclusion of people with disabilities. BBI builds on the legacy of Burton Blatt, a pioneering disability rights scholar. BBI has offices in Syracuse, NY; Washington, DC; New York City, NY; and Lexington, KY. Web: bbi.syr.edu
DISCLAIMER: The contents of this post were developed by the Southeast ADA Center, a project of the Burton Blatt Institute at Syracuse University and the ADA National Network, under a grant from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant #90DPAD0005-01-00). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this podcast and email do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.