The ability to communicate is a critical part of what it is to be human. Being able to communicate allows us to maintain a level of autonomy in our lives. Our ability to use language shapes how we perceive our world and how we structure our memories of experiences. To some extent, how we communicate with others shapes their perceptions of us. When we can’t effectively communicate, there is a risk that we will have radically different views of events and memories.

Our ability to interact with others is compromised when we experience barriers to effective communication. In healthcare, effective patient-provider communication is essential to achieving positive medical outcomes. Physical and linguistic barriers to communication have been shown to significantly increase a hospitalized patient’s risk of experiencing a preventable adverse event. 

The Hurtig-AAClab focuses on developing an understanding of the impact of physical and linguistic barriers to communication and developing tools to allow people to overcome those barriers.