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Deaf cancer patient wins fight for more access to interpreters at hospital | MLive.com
A deaf woman who struggled for two weeks to communicate with doctors and nurses as she underwent tests and was diagnosed with kidney cancer now is being provided with sign language interpreters 24 hours a day, according to family members who fought for the service.
And they hope their effort sets a precedent for other deaf patients who enter the hospital in the future.
Joan Rodgers, 72, and her husband, who also is deaf, said they were able to fully comprehend everything that went on around them Tuesday for the first time since
entering the hospital July 10.
“Today is the first day I finally truly understood what was going on,” said Duane Rodgers, 77, as his daughter interpreted.
Genesys Regional Medical Center officials wouldn’t comment on the case or confirm that it was providing 24-hour sign language interpreters for the family, citing legal prohibitions on talking about its patients.
“Genesys provides all auxiliary aids and services that are necessary to ensure effective communication with respect to treatment,” hospital spokeswoman Cindy Ficorelli said in a statement.
Family members said the hospital did provid an interpreter during morning hours for the entire time Rodgers was in the hospital — but that wasn’t enough.
The Goodrich couple’s daughter Audrey Rodgers said it took multiple complaints, a meeting with hospital officials and phone call from a Chicago attorney before adequate communication assistance was provided.
“I’m glad the hospital decided to do the right thing,” Audrey Rodgers said. “I’m just sad that it took 16 days for them to do it.”
The family asked for an interpreter to be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Rodgers said Tuesday hospital supervisors told the family they would now have an interpreter available 24 hours a day during her mother’s stay, more than the family was requesting.
“Now that I have the interpreters, I can talk to the nurses and ask questions about my IV and the medicine,” said Joan Rodgers as her daughter interpreted. “This is much better.”
The Americans with Disabilities Act, which this week marked its 20th anniversary, requires hospitals to provide effective means of communication for deaf people to communicate with all hospital staff.
Passing notes may be adequate for simple communications, but the law states that for discussion of symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options, an interpreter should be provided.
"While my mother was in ICU gasping for air and mentally fogged with medication, she struggled holding her pen trying hard to write with extremely arthritic fingers and hands to hospital staff," said Debbie Fetzer, a second daughter of Joan Rodgers who is also deaf, via email.
Audrey Rodgers at one point had to act as an interpreter to relay to her mother grim news from a doctor who said the family may want to start considering hospice. Doctors have since suggested more treatment options that have given the family some hope.
Scot Pott, president of the Flint-based Michigan Deaf Association, said family members should never serve as interpreters for each other in medical situations.
“That is very inappropriate,” Pott said. “It’s a conflict of interest because the person is involved in the situation. There’s a mother-daughter relationship there. Would a doctor operate on their wife? No. The surgery would have to be done by another doctor.”
Audrey Rodgers said the family got an apology from hospital officials Monday.
“I do appreciate the apology, but at the same time I spent so much time making noise,” she said. “I could have spent that time comforting my mother. ... We had to scream and yell and fight and do everything that we could.”
A deaf woman who struggled for two weeks to communicate with doctors and nurses as she underwent tests and was diagnosed with kidney cancer now is being provided with sign language interpreters 24 hours a day, according to family members who fought for the service.
And they hope their effort sets a precedent for other deaf patients who enter the hospital in the future.
Joan Rodgers, 72, and her husband, who also is deaf, said they were able to fully comprehend everything that went on around them Tuesday for the first time since
entering the hospital July 10.
“Today is the first day I finally truly understood what was going on,” said Duane Rodgers, 77, as his daughter interpreted.
Genesys Regional Medical Center officials wouldn’t comment on the case or confirm that it was providing 24-hour sign language interpreters for the family, citing legal prohibitions on talking about its patients.
“Genesys provides all auxiliary aids and services that are necessary to ensure effective communication with respect to treatment,” hospital spokeswoman Cindy Ficorelli said in a statement.
Family members said the hospital did provid an interpreter during morning hours for the entire time Rodgers was in the hospital — but that wasn’t enough.
The Goodrich couple’s daughter Audrey Rodgers said it took multiple complaints, a meeting with hospital officials and phone call from a Chicago attorney before adequate communication assistance was provided.
“I’m glad the hospital decided to do the right thing,” Audrey Rodgers said. “I’m just sad that it took 16 days for them to do it.”
The family asked for an interpreter to be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Rodgers said Tuesday hospital supervisors told the family they would now have an interpreter available 24 hours a day during her mother’s stay, more than the family was requesting.
“Now that I have the interpreters, I can talk to the nurses and ask questions about my IV and the medicine,” said Joan Rodgers as her daughter interpreted. “This is much better.”
The Americans with Disabilities Act, which this week marked its 20th anniversary, requires hospitals to provide effective means of communication for deaf people to communicate with all hospital staff.
Passing notes may be adequate for simple communications, but the law states that for discussion of symptoms, diagnosis and treatment options, an interpreter should be provided.
"While my mother was in ICU gasping for air and mentally fogged with medication, she struggled holding her pen trying hard to write with extremely arthritic fingers and hands to hospital staff," said Debbie Fetzer, a second daughter of Joan Rodgers who is also deaf, via email.
Audrey Rodgers at one point had to act as an interpreter to relay to her mother grim news from a doctor who said the family may want to start considering hospice. Doctors have since suggested more treatment options that have given the family some hope.
Scot Pott, president of the Flint-based Michigan Deaf Association, said family members should never serve as interpreters for each other in medical situations.
“That is very inappropriate,” Pott said. “It’s a conflict of interest because the person is involved in the situation. There’s a mother-daughter relationship there. Would a doctor operate on their wife? No. The surgery would have to be done by another doctor.”
Audrey Rodgers said the family got an apology from hospital officials Monday.
“I do appreciate the apology, but at the same time I spent so much time making noise,” she said. “I could have spent that time comforting my mother. ... We had to scream and yell and fight and do everything that we could.”