Dearborn Doctor Office Dismisses Patient Who Uses Sign Language: Feds

DEARBORN, MI — Federal officials reached a resolution with a Dearborn doctor's office after a woman accused the office of dismissing her as a patient because she needed sign language to communicate, U.S. Attorney Dawn Ison said.

A woman, who is deaf and uses American Sign Language as her primary means of communication, went into the Dearborn Obstetrics and Gynecology office, officials said.

The woman then told the United States Attorney’s Office that the doctor's office did not provide her with free ASL interpretation services and dismissed her as a patient due to her disability, officials said.

Officials determined the doctor’s office is required to fully comply with the non-discrimination requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, which protects the rights of all individuals, regardless of disability, to fully and equally enjoy the benefits and services offered by places of public accommodation, including medical practices.

It also requires such places of public accommodation to provide the necessary auxiliary aids and services to ensure that communication with their patients is effective.

Under the agreement, the doctor's office must adopt new ADA policies and practices, train its staff on those polices, report any future complaints from individuals who have disabilities to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and pay the woman who complained, officials said.

The office must also provide ASL interpreters and other auxiliary aids and services free of charge when necessary, officials said.

"Individuals who have disabilities should not face additional barriers when accessing medical care," Ison said. "To prevent such barriers, the Americans with Disabilities Act requires effective communication with patients who are deaf or hard of hearing, such as the ASL interpreter that this patient needed."