As the Director of ASL Telehealth Services, TraciAnn Hoglind is working to redefine accessible healthcare for the deaf community. This telehealth program will provide deaf patients direct health care with deaf and ASL-fluent healthcare professionals. Prior to that, during her positions in Maryland state government and Denver city government throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, TraciAnn served as a voice for people with disabilities, helping them navigate the system and access tests and vaccinations as well as developing policy guides to assist government departments in ensuring their services are accessible.
Outside of her traditional work, TraciAnn established the Health Signs Center, a nonprofit organization with the mission of promoting and advocating for health equity and access for the deaf community by providing direct linguistically and culturally accessible education, advocacy, and resources.
TraciAnn received an MPH from Boston University and a BA in psychology from Gallaudet University.
Inaccessible healthcare communication, such as using unqualified interpreters or paper and pen writing to communicate with deaf patients, is considered malpractice. Healthcare will not be equal and accessible until we see diversity and representation of deaf professionals and professionals with disabilities at the table everywhere in the healthcare system. Give us a seat, we’ve always been ready.