Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Hospital to Pay $80k

New Hampshire's Portsmouth Regional Hospital will pay $80k for ADA violations. The agreement settles a lawsuit filed because the hospital failed to provide an interpreter to two deaf people on many occasions, despite the facility's written policy saying it would do so. Rosalie and Donald Valery will get $50,000 and Brian Minch $10,000. The hospital also agreed to pay a $20,000 civil penalty to the government. Portsmouth Regional also said it would:
  • Provide live interpreter within an hour 80%
  • Provide a video conference with an interpreter within 15 minutes
  • Hire a 24-hour disability coordinator
  • Hold staff training
  • Perform data collection on it's progress
  • Update its complaint procedures
  • Create notification forms
  • Make TTY service available
  • Advertising its services for the deaf in the local newspaper