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Episode 117: ADA and Effective Communication in Health Care Settings with the Department of Justice

Wednesday – May 3, 2023

Guests

Kara Sweet
Kara Sweet
Assistant United States Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Tennessee
Steve Gordon
Civil Rights Enforcement Coordinator and Assistant United States Attorney for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

Description

For people with hearing loss and deafness, communication barriers in health care result in the inability to understand critical health information. In the United States, about 1 in every 8 people of all ages has some form of hearing loss. Behind arthritis and heart disease, hearing loss is the third most common disability. (Source: HealthyHearing.com) 

Hearing loss is most significant amongst seniors. The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders reports that 1 in 3 seniors in the United States who are ages 65 to 74 have hearing loss, and nearly half of the seniors over age 75 have difficulty hearing. (Source: adata.org/factsheet/healthcare-and-face-coverings). 

Also, according to a research report by CRICO Strategies in Fierce HealthCare, poor communication between patients and-health care providers resulted in 1,744 patient deaths and over 1.7 billion dollars in malpractice suits over five years (2009-2013).  

In this episode, we speak with two Assistant United States attorneys – Steve Gordon and Kara Sweet from the US Department of Justice – about the rights of people with hearing loss, Deafness, or other communication needs in health care settings. Our guests will also highlight cases and settlement agreements the U.S. Department of Justice has handled that deal with these rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

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Audio: Soundcloud Episode 117: ADA and Effective Communication in Health Care Settings with the Department of Justice
Web: soundcloud.com/adalive/

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