Local Hospital Settles Following Allegations of Failed Communication Services
Related Story
MCALLEN – The Doctors Hospital at Renaissance is providing new training for staff to help the hearing impaired.
The decision comes after allegations that DHR violated the American Disabilities Act.
According to the Department of Justice, an investigation began after a local deaf couple filed a lawsuit against DHR in 2011. The parents claimed the hospital failed to provide adequate sign language services during their daughter’s cancer treatment.
CHANNEL 5 NEWS reached out to DHR officials. They sent us the following statement:
“Doctors Hospital at Renaissance is committed to providing the highest quality of care to our patients regardless of their race, gender or disability. When we were informed by the Department of Justice that a patient and their family were dissatisfied with our services we began working amicably with the Department on a plan to improve our communications with our disabled patients. Every member of our staff has been trained on both the regulatory requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act and on the communication equipment we have available. We are training staff to become qualified interpreters and have hired staff to ensure that all ADA guidelines and policies are followed. DHR is fully committed to implementing the plan agreed to with the Department of Justice.”
DHR also said it’s hiring more staff to ensure ADA guidelines and policies are followed.