Donation of Clear Masks to Improve Communication at Blanche River Health
Hearing impaired patients will benefit from improved communication with clinicians at Blanche River Health, thanks a donation of 1,500 clear masks, announced Joan Brazeau, Interim CEO, Blanche River Health.
“The Timiskaming Hearing Clinic recently received an anonymous donation of clear masks, and we are delighted they have paid it forward by sharing them with Blanche River Health so our hearing-impaired patients can benefit from improved communication,” said Brazeau. “We extend a huge thank you to both the anonymous donor, and the Timiskaming Hearing Clinic.”
A study published in JAMA Surgery points to the effectiveness of clear masks at improving communication between patients and clinicians. According to the study, 95 per cent of patients whose surgeon wore a clear mask said the doctor was easy to understand, compared with 78 per cent of the patients whose surgeon used a standard mask.
The study also found that 100 per cent of patients whose surgeon wore a clear mask had a positive impression. For standard masks, 72 per cent of patients responded positively.
Leanne Nielson, Clinical Audiologist with the Timiskaming Hearing Clinic, says clear masks make sense for patients who are hearing-impaired, as it unveils facial expressions and enables lip reading.
“Many hearing-impaired people rely on seeing faces to effectively understand what others are saying, so the prevalence of masks during the Pandemic has made effective communication more challenging for them,” said Nielson. “Masks continue to be worn routinely in hospitals, so it made sense to share the clear masks we received with Blanche River Health, in an effort to foster enhanced communication in the community.”
Blanche River Health is a 74-bed hospital corporation with two sites serving the North Eastern Ontario communities of Englehart (26 beds) and Kirkland Lake (48 beds) as well as residents in surrounding areas.
Caption:
Blanche River Health employees (L to R) Fi Denton, Ward Clerk, and Kelsey Porritt, Registered Practical Nurse, wearing clear masks to help improve communication with patients.