Loyola Medicine Offers American Sign Language Interpreters for Telehealth Appointments

MAYWOOD, IL – As part of Loyola Medicine's commitment to making health care accessible to all, Loyola has added American Sign Language (ASL) to the interpreter services available for individuals making telehealth appointments. Loyola already provides medical interpretation in 250 languages for virtual visits. "We are excited to offer ASL interpretation to our deaf and hard of hearing patients making telehealth appointments," said Richard Freeman, MD, MBA, FACS, regional chief clinical officer at Loyola Medicine. "The COVID-19 pandemic dramatically increased the demand for telemedicine and underscored the importance of making it available to as many people as possible."

Loyola Medicine employs a total of 18 qualified medical interpreters who speak Spanish, Polish, and ASL, supplemented by 24-hour interpreting service over the phone and video. In fiscal year 2021, Loyola Medicine cared for patients from around the world who speak 58 languages. "Our medical interpreters are essential members of the healthcare team," said Guadalupe Garcia, regional manager of interpreter services at Loyola Medicine. "They know that they're making a difference in patients' lives by making sure they understand their diagnosis and instructions on how to take their medication and take care of themselves."

The service is easy to use and available through Loyola's myChart self-scheduling tool. During the scheduling process, when a patient indicates that English is not their primary language, the system automatically asks, "would you like an interpreter free of charge?" Patients can also schedule interpreter services by calling (888) 584-7888.