Conclusion and Implications

This chapter argues that financial concerns and hospital systems play a powerful role in the choice of interpreting modalities that are available to patients. These concerns can be closely linked with the political economy of American health care, i.e., the imperative for cost control, quick services, and efficiency under managed care and a for-profit health system. It is likely that administrators are motivated to save costs and avoid financial loss rather than to ensure accessible and effective patient–provider communication. My research suggests that hospital administrators should not be urged to employ video remote interpreting (VRI) and should continue to allocate some funding for in-person interpreting during clinical care. Additionally, training for healthcare professional students, healthcare professionals, VRI companies, VRI interpreters, and deaf and hard of hearing patients and their families should be prioritized to increase cultural competence, to consider the legal obligations of providers, and to empower patients through access to effective communication solutions.