Video Remote Interpreting at Issue in Florida

A Florida hospital won’t be required to prove that it provided effective communication to three former patients in compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act, following a federal trial court’s Feb. 3 grant of summary judgment in the hospital’s favor (Sunderland v. Bethesda Health, Inc., 2016 BL 30243, S.D. Fla., CASE NO. 13-80685-CIV-HURLEY, 2/3/16).

A hospital’s provision of video remote interpreting (VRI) services, instead of in-person sign language interpreting, for deaf patients is being questioned in multiple lawsuits. In one case, the National Association of the Deaf is asserting that a hospital may be held liable for ...