FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 6, 2006

DEAF/DEAF-BLIND GROUP ATTEMPTS TO HOLD EMERGENCY SIT-IN &EDUCATIONAL TO SAVE PATIENT'S LIVES

Westlake, Ohio- Dozens of protesters from the Deaf and Deaf-Blind Committee on Human Rights (DDBCHR), a grassroots advocacy group based in North Olmsted, Ohio, attempted to hold an emergency sit-in &educational today at the office of Dr. David F. Bennhoff of the Westshore Hearing Center located at the Westlake Medical Campus. Bennhoff wrote a letter to the editor published in yesterday's Cleveland Plain Dealer newspaper stating that providing professional sign language interpreters for Deaf patients is both unnecessary and too costly.

When DDBCHR members entered the office today at approximately 11:30 a.m. they were informed the doctor was not in. Police were on the scene immediately and told the protestors to leave. Protestors stayed, however, asking the staff to page Dr. Bennhoff. After a short wait the group received word that the doctor would meet with them at 11am the following day. Group supporters cheered their victory to have won a meeting with the doctor and then held a short press conference outside the medical building.

DDBCHR members expressed their outrage that doctor Bennhoff, a leader in the Cleveland medical community, is giving misinformation to fellow doctors and medical students. Benhoff states in his editorial that in his office, "writing and lip-reading allow the deaf and hearing-impaired patients to comfortably understand everything." This is simply not true for all Deaf &especially for Deaf-Blind people. While some Deaf &Hard of Hearing patients may have the training and skills to communicate basic medical information in this manor, many patients who are fully Deaf or Deaf-Blind cannot fully communicate and understand complex medical concepts and terminology without the use of a professionally trained sign language interpreter. For patients who are Deaf-Blind it is of course impossible for them to even see someone's lips to lip-read or see notes that are written back and forth on paper. The denial of interpreting services for those who need them may result in improper diagnosis, treatment and even death.

A Deaf man died recently in Connecticut of a heart attack after having chest pains, going to the emergency room, requesting an interpreter, subsequently being denied this service and then being sent home with medical staff telling him he would be "just fine." Had this man been provided interpreting services he would have been able to fully communicate his health problems and may have still been alive today.

"This is a very serious issue to our families and our communities" said DawnMarie Fucile, Chair of DDBCHR's Action Committee, "this is a life or death issue for us and we will not stand for our basic rights to communication, our rights to health and our rights to life being violated in this way."

After Bennhoff's editorial yesterday, DDBCHR leaders quickly organized today's emergency educational to inform him of the potential harm that could be caused when professional interpreters are not provided for patients who need them in medical settings. Dr. Bennhoff, an Earn, Nose and Throat specialist, serves on the Board of the Academy of Medicine of Cleveland and is also an Assistant Clinical Assistant Professor at Case Western Reserve University's School of Medicine. Due to Bennhoff's stature in the medical community, DDBCHR members are particularly concerned with how his misinformation about the communication needs of Deaf/Deaf-Blind patients may have a harmful ripple effect throughout the northeast Ohio medical community in the treatment of patients who are Deaf or Deaf-Blind.

Cindy Seal, the chair of DDBCHR's Communication Committee explained to reporters, "We are not demanding that doctors provide interpreters for all Deaf &Deaf-Blind patients in all settings. We are only asking that doctors respect each individual patient's communication preferences and, when requested, provide professional interpreting services to ensure quality, accurate and effective care."

While some patients may be comfortable having a friend or family member interpret, as Benhhoff also suggests in his editorial, others may not want their friends or family to know their personal medical issues. In addition, friends and family members who are not professionally trained as interpreters may make errors when translating unfamiliar medical terminology resulting in miscommunication, misdiagnosis and/or mistreatment.

According to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), passed into law 16 years ago, doctors are required to provide patients with effective communication (which often means providing interpreters) to ensure safe and effective treatment.

The DDBCHR, founded in 1998, is a grassroots organization working to educate and organize around issues of living wage jobs, housing, health care, education and communication for all deaf, hard of hearing and deaf-blind people. The group is made up of Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf-Blind, and non-deaf supporters from Northeast Ohio. DDBCHR is also a participating member of Greater Cleveland Community Shares. For more information about the organization contact them by voice phone: 440-801-1998, TTY/Video Phone: 440-801-1948, or Email DDBCHR1@cs.com.

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