REVEALING FEATURES Sentara Healthcare's ethics team worked with a community volunteer "Mask Force" to design and produce transparent masks for the hearing impaired.
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Dale Gauding/Sentara Healthcare
For most patients, wearing a surgical mask is a minor inconvenience and a necessary part of receiving care in the era of COVID-19. For patients with a hearing impairment who rely on reading lips, however, a mask effectively severs their communication lifeline. With a small tweak to the standard mask design, you can adhere to critical infection prevention protocols and ensure hearing-impaired patients receive clear information about their care. That's the beauty of a see-through surgical mask, a face covering with a clear vinyl window that allows patients to read their providers' lips.
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