Providing Interpreter Services

[James McLaneParticipant]

I’m curious what everyone is doing in terms of providing interpretation services for patients (i.e.: non-English speaking, sign language).
Do you use a service? Is it expensive? How far in advance do you have to schedule?
The Americans with Disabilities Act requires us to provide effective communication, though what constitutes “effective” communication is up to interpretation (no pun intended), and we’re expected to absorb the cost of interpretation services when they’re provided.
ADA.gov has a primer that gives examples suggesting that, for instance, written communication may be sufficient for a deaf patient in some circumstances but an interpreter might be necessary for more complex discussion. https://www.ada.gov/regs2010/smallbusiness/smallbusprimer2010.htm#communicating

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