On May 24, 2021, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced that it had entered into a settlement agreement with Parkland Health & Hospital System (Parkland), a healthcare provider based in Dallas, Texas. According to the DOJ, the settlement resolves allegations of violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by Parkland.

The allegations against Parkland stem from a complaint filed by a patient who was allegedly denied medical treatment because of his disability. The patient, who was deaf and relied on American Sign Language (ASL) to communicate, claimed that he was not provided with a qualified interpreter during his hospitalization at Parkland in 2016.

Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Parkland has agreed to take several steps to improve its compliance with the ADA, including:

1. Providing qualified interpreters to patients who are deaf or hard of hearing, or who rely on ASL to communicate, at no cost to the patient.

2. Providing auxiliary aids and services, such as video remote interpreting services and assistive listening devices, to patients with disabilities who require them.

3. Developing and implementing policies and procedures to ensure that patients with disabilities receive equal medical treatment and services, including effective communication.

4. Training all staff who interact with patients on the requirements of the ADA and effective communication with patients with disabilities.

Parkland has also agreed to pay $825,000 to the complainant and his attorneys to settle the lawsuit.

The settlement agreement with Parkland is a reminder of the importance of complying with the ADA, particularly when it comes to providing effective communication to patients with disabilities. Healthcare providers must ensure that all of their patients, regardless of their disability status, receive equal access to medical treatment and services. Failure to do so can result in costly litigation and negative publicity.

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