Effective communication between deaf or hard of hearing patients and healthcare providers is critical for safe medical treatment, as mandated by Title III of the ADA. Qualified sign language interpreters are essential for compliance with the ADA and facilitate accurate medical interactions, helping to prevent misdiagnosis and ensure patient understanding. Healthcare facilities must provide interpreters when necessary to maintain confidentiality, accuracy, and efficiency in communication.

3. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING
MEDICAL INTERPRETING
• Effective communication between consumers who are Deaf or hard of hearing and health care
providers is essential to provide safe and effective medical treatment.
• Title III of the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to all private health care providers,
regardless of the size of the office or the number of employees. It applies to providers of both
physical and mental health care. Hospitals, nursing homes, psychiatric and psychological services,
offices of private physicians, dentists, health maintenance organizations (HMOs) and health clinics
are included among the health care providers covered by the ADA.
• Using a qualified sign language interpreter not only helps to ensure that the health care provider
is compliant with the ADA, but it allows the Deaf or hard of hearing patient to fully participate
and make decisions in health care treatment. A qualified interpreter is an interpreter who is able
to interpret effectively, accurately, and impartially, both receptively and expressively, using any
necessary specialized vocabulary.

4. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION REGARDING
MEDICAL INTERPRETING
• Without interpreting services, the medical staff runs the risk of not understanding the patient’s
symptoms, misdiagnosing the patient’s medical problem, and prescribing inadequate or even
harmful treatment. Similarly, patients may not understand medical instructions and warnings or
prescription guidelines.
• A health care facility may be asked to provide a qualified sign language interpreter when the
consumer is a Deaf or hard of hearing patient, a relative or a partner involved in the patient’s
health care is Deaf or hard or hearing, or when a child or the child’s parents are Deaf or hard of
hearing. When critical medical information is communicated during routine wellness care, urgent
care, preventative care, surgical procedure, or in obtaining informed consent for treatment, using
a sign language interpreter can facilitate communication and keep it confidential, accurate, and
efficient. Classes, support groups and other activities that are open to the public must also be
accessible for Deaf or hard of hearing participants. The use of an interpreter enables all of the
parties involved to ask questions, express concerns, receive accurate and important information,
and avoid the frustration that may arise with miscommunication.
• FIA Interpreting encourages interpreters working in healthcare settings to receive advance
training in addition to Certification in order to interpret complex medical terminology.