Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin

(115,324 posts)
Mon Apr 3, 2023, 02:42 PM Apr 2023

A lack of interpreters at The Everett Clinic has left Deaf patients exhausted, confused & frustrated

MARYSVILLE — Kate Spencer is tired.

She’s tired of showing up to a doctor appointment and then finding out no American Sign Language interpreter is available, tired of taking time off of work again to reschedule, tired from the time and energy it takes to advocate for clinic staff to be trained on how to communicate with her and other Deaf or hard-of-hearing patients.

-snip-

“Deaf” with a capital D signifies a specific group of people who share a culture and language, American Sign Language, while “deaf” with a lowercase d means the condition of not hearing, according to the National Association of the Deaf.

So far in 2023, Spencer has had two appointments at The Everett Clinic. When she showed up for her February annual eye exam, no interpreter was there. She had not received a phone call or a message over MyChart, the online provider portal. Frustrated because she had taken time off of work, she chose to attempt the appointment without an interpreter.

https://www.heraldnet.com/news/deaf-patients-deserve-equal-access-to-health-care-but-obstacles-abound/

Latest Discussions»Region Forums»Washington»A lack of interpreters at...