Innovative Ways to Be in Compliance with Patient-Centered Communication

In today’s healthcare environment, patient-centered communication is essential—not just for improving patient outcomes but for ensuring legal compliance and fostering trust. However, many patients who rely on visual communication are still facing challenges in receiving the accommodations they need. Safe’N’Clear has been working closely with these patients, who have voiced frustration over a lack of accessible healthcare options, such as captioned tele-visits, captioned healthcare videos, and clear PPE masks. Addressing these communication barriers is more than just an ethical obligation—but also a regulatory necessity for healthcare providers.

The Importance of Compliance with ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) mandates that healthcare facilities provide effective communication for individuals with disabilities. This legislation includes offering reasonable accommodations such as captioned videos, sign language interpreters, and clear masks for patients with hearing impairments. Despite these legal requirements, many patients still struggle to access these services in practice. Non-compliance not only hinders patient care but can also lead to legal repercussions and diminished trust in the healthcare system.

Healthcare professionals are on the front lines of this challenge, often needing to balance care delivery with legal obligations. Failing to meet communication needs can impact patient satisfaction, the quality of care, and even result in preventable misunderstandings that affect health outcomes.

How Patient Advocates Help Bridge the Gap

Patient advocates have become indispensable in bridging the gap between patients with communication needs and healthcare providers. Their role is essential in ensuring that a patient’s accommodation requests are clearly communicated and implemented across all departments. By documenting these requests in patients’ electronic healthcare records (like EPIC HRC), patients can ensure that their accommodation needs are available to every healthcare professional involved in their care—whether they’re in the Emergency Department (ED), undergoing surgery, or receiving physical therapy.

One of the key advantages of this documentation is that patients will not need to repeatedly ask for accommodations throughout their treatment. Healthcare professionals, from radiologists to surgeons, can access this information directly in the patient’s records, making for an easier process to provide the necessary care in line with the patient’s needs.

Solutions for Better Communication

To meet the needs of a broad spectrum of patients, healthcare professionals should consider integrating universal design principles into their practice. Universal design focuses on creating environments and products that are usable by all people, regardless of their ability. In healthcare, this means procuring and using ergonomic products and communication tools that support accessibility for everyone.

For example, using captioned telemedicine tools and captioned educational videos can significantly enhance the patient experience for those who rely on visual communication. Furthermore, clear PPE masks can help ensure that patients with hearing impairments can read lips and engage in more effective communication with healthcare providers. These solutions make it easier for providers to meet the needs of their patients most of the time and demonstrate a commitment to improving patient outcomes.

The Consequences of Poor Communication

The consequences of poor communication in healthcare are far-reaching. According to the HIPAA Journal’s 2025 Update, inadequate communication can lead to misunderstandings, medical errors, and ultimately, poor patient outcomes. Patients who are unable to effectively communicate their symptoms or understand their treatment plans are more likely to experience dissatisfaction, delays in care, and avoidable health complications. In the worst cases, poor communication can even result in serious legal ramifications for healthcare providers.

For healthcare professionals, prioritizing patient-centered communication is not just about adhering to legal requirements; but about improving the overall quality of care and fostering trust between providers and patients. Effective communication helps ensure that patients fully understand their diagnoses, treatment options, and care plans, which in turn leads to better health outcomes.

Conclusion & Call to Action

Healthcare professionals play a pivotal role in creating an environment that supports all patients, regardless of their communication needs. By advocating for better accommodations, such as captioned videos and clear PPE masks, and by ensuring that these accommodations are properly documented in patient records like EPIC HRC, healthcare providers can significantly improve the patient experience and ensure compliance with ADA requirements.

To take this one step further, healthcare professionals can partner with organizations like Safe’N’Clear to explore more solutions for effective communication. By incorporating universal design principles into healthcare practices, professionals can help ensure that patients with communication needs are heard, understood, and given the best possible care.

References:

https://www.hipaajournal.com/effects-of-poor-communication-in-healthcare/