Healthcare and Medical Sign Language Interpreting
Dovetail Communication Group specializes in American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting for all medical and healthcare related settings. This includes, but is not limited to primary care, specialty care, mental health, dental care, rehabilitation, nursing homes, and hospitals.
Are you HIPAA compliant? How do you protect patients’ rights to privacy?
Yes. Dovetail Communication Group is committed to protecting sensitive information about our clients and our clients’ patients, including their medical information. All of our interpreters are trained on HIPAA compliance practices and our information technology meets or exceeds all HIPAA standards. For more information regarding HIPAA standards click here. You may request our full HIPAA notice of privacy practices through email: dcg@dovetailcommunicationgroup.com
Is my facility required to provide a sign language interpreter?
Yes. Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in the activities of places of public accommodations such as medical facilities and additionally directs organizations to make their services accessible to anyone with a disability. For Deaf and hard of hearing clients this is most commonly accomplished through the use of a sign language interpreter. For more information, please visit the National Association of the Deaf and review their guidelines on public accommodations.
Can I use a family member or friend to interpret?
Using friends or family members to interpret should only be done under the most emergent situations and even then, should only be used until a qualified American Sign Language interpreter for healthcare is available. Knowing sign language is not the same as having the ability to interpret the language. Certified sign language interpreters are required to go through rigorous medical sign language interpreting training and the criteria involved in gaining certification is a long process. Certified interpreters are bound by the Professional Code of Conduct
Additionally, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) states that a qualified interpreter is one who can interpret “effectively, accurately, and impartially.” Friends and family members rarely fit that description.
Can’t I just write back and forth with the Deaf or Hard of Hearing patient?
Like using friends or family members for medical sign language interpreting , writing back and forth should only be done under emergency conditions or if it is what the Deaf or Hard of Hearing patient’s preferred mode of communication.
Although the English language does have an influence on some aspects of American Sign Language, they are two completely distinct languages. Like anyone forced into communicating using their second language there can be misunderstandings leading to detrimental consequences particularly in the medical field. For these reasons, we provide only the best and most experienced American Sign Language interpreter for healthcare situations.