As a journalist, it’s important to understand the importance of providing support and communication to Deaf patients. By offering the necessary resources, medical professionals and students can let their patients know that they are there for them. This is especially important for DeafYES!, a group co-directed by Anderson and Alexander Wilkins, who recognize the need for representation from different perspectives within the Deaf community.
The team worked closely with the larger Deaf community to create an authentic film that reflects their needs. Wilkins emphasized that community engagement research was key in bringing everyone together and using research to benefit the most people. The video underscores the importance of having an interpreter with medical vocabulary and content-specific knowledge available to Deaf patients upon arrival for an appointment or in the emergency department.
Offutt Decker pointed out that assuming one size fits all when it comes to interpreters is incorrect. Personalizing the experience by providing an appropriate interpreter is essential when sharing private health information. Dominguez-Barnes acknowledged that ensuring communication access may be challenging but emphasized that it should be as routine as taking a patient’s vitals. Learning to be more equitable in providing communication access is an ongoing opportunity for improvement.
