skip to content
Primary navigation

Accessible Health Care

Sometimes there is misinformation or not enough information shared about effective communication and accommodations. When someone who is deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing has a medical appointment or needs to go to urgent care, the emergency room, or the hospital, they have certain rights so that they can fully participate in the decision-making about their health care. 

Who this impacts

  • Patients who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing
  • Spouses or partners who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing
  • People who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing and responsible for someone else's care
  • All medical providers

Solution

Cuong Nguyen, who is a Deaf Minnesotan, was in a bicycle accident and hospitalized. He received 11 hours of interpreting during a 41-day hospital stay. Horrified by his experience, Cuong became an advocate and wanted information shared through ASL and English so that no other patient will experience what he did. Thanks to him, the Accessible Health Care video project was created, first in 2012. In 2019, the videos were updated so that the information could continue to be used as a valuable resource for Minnesotans. Visit the Accessible Health Care video series now.   

back to top