Communicating with doctors?

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BK_happy_spine

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I am a deaf chiropractic intern in Bay area (Santa Clara, California), and have not seen any deaf outpatients yet. I hope to have several opportunities to treat deaf patients when the chances come.

Communicating with doctors is pretty important for letting them know your symptoms when you have any disease, pain, etc.

Unless you find deaf doctor who is able to help you, how will you communicate with doctors who cannot even sign ASL?

If anyone needs chiropractic care, I would love to treat you.
 
You say you are deaf? Do you know anything about the deaf world?
 
Well, I am HOH and can still hear enough in quiet exam rooms, so I communicate on my own. If I have to, I educate the doctor or nurses as to facing me, speak up, be close, etc. But my health care provider has both CART and ASL interpreters available. People just have to request. No extra charge. I did request CART recently for a health class my doctor wanted me to attend, sponsored by the health care provider, in a classroom. I knew my aids wouldn't be enough.

By the way, thumbs up on chiropractic! I have been seeing my chiropractor for over 30 years, as needed, and the treatments are very helpful. Wish you well in your new career! Chiropractic rocks! ;)
 
Sounds like :spam: to me, but if it is not:


Lipreading gets many by.

Pad & paper helps.

And, believe it or not, there are ASL interpreters available. ADA requires you to provide an interpreter if needed (laws may vary by state).
 
I have to say, though, my chiropractic is not covered by my health insurance. I have to pay out of pocket for it. And it's a private office. And they don't offer ASL interpreters or anything, that I know of. But of course, I never have asked for anything...yet. But if it's the law, I imagine they would find a way to provide it if a patient needed it. But it's something to think about...they are semi-retired now, and even charge me senior citizen rates (half) because I recently turned 65 :eek2: So, I know interpreters/CART providers charge at least $50/hour, so I don't know how they could afford it. And I certainly couldn't pay for it. Makes me wonder if they have any Deaf patients, now... I really don't know. I know I had to "educate" the main chiropractor years ago, who was treating me for a ruptured cervical disc, that he couldn't talk to me from behind, while looking at my MRI results. :P He thought I could just turn up the volume on my hearing aids... :roll: He learned! :D

So, good question... :hmm:
 
My deaf son use android phone and tablet. Phone and tablet connected via bluetooth. He gives tablet to doctor and then they can exchange messages and freely communicate.
 
As mentioned years ago in my Canadian Hearing Society classes- Dealing/coping with your Hearing loss-why see a doctor if one doesn't understand what the doctor says about your health? Do what is required to understand-hearing aids/cochlear Implants/electronic devices./ASL.
The above is an example.
 
How strange is that since bay area is purretty much for deafies who lives there. :eek3:

According to OP's word "intern" it is possible that OP just moved to that area but still. Maybe losing the hearing ability? :dunno:
 
My chiropractor has a deaf patient, his mother came along to interpret the first few appointments but since then they've been able to communicate with either a pen and paper or gestures, I think. I'll ask him the next time I have my adjustment if you like.
 
Must be real busy cracking bones to come back and respond. :lol:
 
i work at a deaf long term care facility, and i just started working there. i don't know how the doctors communicate with the paitents (some of them can't even sign because of medical issues) but i know they offer free sign language classes but they may cancel them and i really hope they don't.
 
Presumably the doctors who work in a "deaf facility" know their "patients" don't "understand" them and use "alternate communication methods" eg writing pad/lap tops etc. Assuming the doctors don't "know/use" ASL.
Interpreters around?
 
Just to bump, I finally saw my chiropractor again today and asked him.

He said his young patient's mother came along the first few times to interpret, but after that it was just gestures or taps on the arm and such to indicate which way he wanted him to move on the table. He says they manage fine like this.

The other way around, he thinks, would be much harder (deaf doctor with hearing patients) as it would be difficult to explain what, as in my case, I'd done to my neck to hurt it so badly and how to look after it once I got home.

Hope that's somehow useful to you.
 
I can communicate very well with my primary doctor, no problem. They have an online portal for patients so I use that if I need to email the doctor or the nurse with a question about something. If I need an appointment, the nurse I email will usually get it taken cared of, and the office has been pretty good with accepting relay calls from me too.
 
I confidental I am experience doctor, I aware it on confidential on my doctor! I wrote on paper doctor many times good communication
 
cdmeggers said:
I can communicate very well with my primary doctor, no problem. They have an online portal for patients so I use that if I need to email the doctor or the nurse with a question about something. If I need an appointment, the nurse I email will usually get it taken cared of, and the office has been pretty good with accepting relay calls from me too.
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My primary care doctor is the same way. When I have an appointment she types to me on her computer. I haven't been so lucky with some of the specialists I have seen. I just need to be more assertive and have them speak to me and not my husband. The doctor I have the most trouble following, is my CI doctor. You would think they would be able to type to those of us who can not hear. Afterall they deal with many deaf patients, right?:hmm:
 
haha yeah. I had no issues with my CI doctor, he was great. But I do still have my hearing aid and have been able to get by with the HA and lipreading. Maybe suggest to your CI doctor's office about the typing thing, or just improving communication with you in general.
 
I bring a white board and markers. I am lucky I worked in a pharmacy for 20+ years, so when he does write on it, I can read what he is saying. Hahaha
 
cdmeggers said:
I can communicate very well with my primary doctor, no problem. They have an online portal for patients so I use that if I need to email the doctor or the nurse with a question about something. If I need an appointment, the nurse I email will usually get it taken cared of, and the office has been pretty good with accepting relay calls from me too.
Click to expand...

I have confidential email through my health insurance as well, and can email back & forth with my doctors. Saves a copay fee for an appt., too! For some appts., I can also make those online which helps not to have to deal with the health insurance telephone "gauntlet."
 
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