Question

According to the American Hospital Association, if a Spanish-speaking patient requested a translator but was not provided one, it would be considered a violation of

A. protected health information.
B. Patient's Bill of Rights.
C. patient's confidentiality.
D. Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

Answer 1

The omission of a translator for a Spanish-speaking patient would be a violation of the Patient's Bill of Rights, which guarantees the right to effective communication in healthcare settings, rather than a direct violation of HIPAA.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a Spanish-speaking patient requested a translator but was not provided one, this situation would be considered a violation of the Patient's Bill of Rights. The Patient's Bill of Rights is a list of guarantees for those receiving medical care. It includes the right to effective communication, which implies that if a patient requires an interpreter to understand their medical situation and care, the hospital is obliged to provide one. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), on the other hand, establishes standards for protecting patient information and privacy but does not directly address the provision of language services to patients. However, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandates that federally funded programs, such as hospitals, must provide language assistance to individuals with limited English proficiency, which can be seen as a standard required by HIPAA due to the need to ensure clear communication about one's health information.