In addition to patients whose native language is other than English, which patients may require interpreter services?

Interpreter services are essential not only for patients whose native language is other than English but also for those who are hearing-impaired. Patients who are hearing-impaired may struggle to understand spoken information and may rely on sign language interpreters or other communication assistance to effectively understand and engage in their healthcare discussions. This ensures that they receive appropriate health information, can ask questions, and contribute to their care decisions, fostering better health outcomes.

While pediatric patients may have special communication needs depending on their age and developmental stage, and geriatric patients might face challenges related to comprehension or memory, these factors do not typically require interpreter services in the same way as hearing impairment does. Vision-impaired patients may require different forms of assistance, such as materials in Braille or audio formats, but still might not need an interpreter as primarily defined in the context of language assistance. Therefore, hearing-impaired patients clearly require specific interpreter services to bridge the communication gap effectively.