McLaren provides free language services, offered in 240 plus languages to people whose primary language is not English, such as qualified interpreters and/or information written in other languages. In accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), McLaren also provides free aids and services to people with communication disabilities to communicate effectively with us, such as qualified sign language interpreters.
McLaren is required to complete a communication screening (assessment) on all patients and companions who demonstrate a communication disability (i.e. Deaf, Deaf/Blind, Hard of Hearing, Speech Disability). This internal link was created only for the use of McLaren sites that were unable to build the communication assessment into the registration process or EMR. A Communication assessment, for an individual with a communication disability, is required at any new encounter of patient service provided by McLaren Hospitals and Provider-Based Outpatient sites. This ensures patients (and if applicable, companions) are offered and aware of the free auxiliary aid services available to them. The patient may also be required to sign a waiver depending on their response to the questions below.
Examples of communication barriers that may be observed include verbal, nonverbal and behavioral cues such as:
- Puzzle Looked
- Avoiding Eye Contact
- Lip Reading
- Asking for Information Repeated
- Appearing Anxious or Frustrated
Tips on how to communicate with hearing impaired patients:
- Say the patient’s name before beginning a conversation
- Face the hearing-impaired patient directly
- Speak clearly, slowly, distinctly, do not shout info to patient
- Keep hands away from face when speaking