BETTER HEALTH CARE FOR THE DEAF
If you're deaf and have to see a doctor who doesn't know sign language, you have to have an interpreter available, read lips, or write notes back and forth. There's a new option that makes medical care for the hard of hearing a little easier.
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Janelle Berry loves time with her son curran. Her sister, Articia , often helps the two communicate. Janelle is deaf, curran can hear and even articia has some hearing loss.
When Janelle had Curran, an interpreter was with her during the delivery, but for other medical visits, the deaf person often has to wait for an interpreter.
Janelle Berry
Deaf
"When I call to make an appointment, I always say, 'I need an interpreter'. They say, 'OK'. Sometimes they don't show."
Now, a system called deaf-talk may decrease the waiting time from a few hours to a few minutes. Articia shows how it works.
Using this camera, an interpreter can see the patient signing and the patient can see the interpreter on the screen. The device is placed on a rolling cart and moved to any room with a high-speed phone line.
Cathy O'Neill, R.N.
Director of Emergency Nursing
Mercy Medical Center
Baltimore, MD
"It's a little more private than using a live interpreter, because you turn it on when you need it and off when you don't need it, versus a live interpreter who has to stay in the room with the patient."
Interpreter Kathy Beetham agrees it's a big advance.
Kathy Beetham
ASL Interpreter
"Patients think it's cool, and it's quick, and someone's there, and so it's not an issue of waiting for someone to come and having someone sit there with them."
Both Articia and Janelle say they'll rest easier knowing it's there if they need it.
About one 150 hospitals are using this system. Hospitals say another benefit is cost. The cost of the equipment and the use of an interpreter is less than paying an interpreter to be on site during the entire visit.
BACKGROUND: Nearly 1.5 million people rely on the use of sign language because they are deaf. Another 28 million Americans have some form of hearing loss or "nerve deafness" caused by the damage or deterioration of hair cells in the inner ear. Although many people lose their hearing as they age, hearing loss can also come from loud noise, illness, infections, head trauma, birth defects, certain drugs and even the mumps and measles.
NEW TECHNOLOGY: One common complaint deaf people have is the waiting time for an interpreter. Sometimes they show up late or don't show up at all. A new system called Deaf-Talk is designed to eliminate the waiting time. Here's how it works: a hospital subscribes to the Deaf-Talk system. They rent the equipment and install ISDN lines in all areas where they want to use the system. ISDN is a technology capable of transmitting data at speeds of up to 128K. When a deaf patient comes in, the doctor or nurse calls the toll-free number and asks to be connected. An interpreter connects the videoconference units. The interpreter can see the patient and the patient can see the interpreter. The interpreter can hear the doctor and nurse and sign to the patient and then speak what the patient is signing.
WHERE CAN THEY BE USED? The Deaf-Talk system is currently installed in more than 150 locations around the country. Many hospitals install multiple ISDN lines, but only rent one mobile unit. Some hospitals use the system in the emergency room, labor and delivery, outpatient and inpatient areas, recovery rooms, and radiology among others. Cathy O'Neill, Director of Nursing for the Emergency Department at Mercy Medical Center says her staff likes the system. She says, "They like it because they can take care of the patient faster. They know what's going on and it's very easy to hook up." O'Neill says,since they can have an interpreter within two minutes, it's especially helpful for emergency situations or when women go into labor. She says another benefit is increased privacy for deaf patients because the unit can be turned on and off as needed rather than a live interpreter staying in the room for the entire visit.
EXPERIENCE OF THE INTERPRETERS: According to the company, the translators generally have more than 10 years of experience in translating for medical situations. All of the interpreters are certified to proper levels by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, the National Association for the Deaf, or the highest state certification. They have translated for severe medical emergencies where the patient and/or family members were deaf, for sensitive preoperative consent, for complex discharge treatment plans, and for decisions affecting patients who have died or who are terminal. They are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
COST: Hospitals are required by the Americans with Disabilities Act to provide an interpreter if requested. They must pay for the time the interpreter is there, whether they are working or waiting. With Deaf-Talk, the system is rented and the hospital pays per minute. O'Neill says saving money was not the motivation to use the system, but it is an added benefit.
Dave Stauffer
Vice President, Deaf-Talk
607 Washington Road, Suite 302
Pittsburgh, PA 15228
(877) 229-8119
cdstauffer@deaf-talk.com
Copyright © 2004 Ivanhoe Broadcast News, Inc.
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