Unity Health Psychiatry Resident Tracy Epperson bridges the gap between providers and the Deaf community
Tracy Epperson is a current PGY-4 in the Psychiatry Medicine Residency Program at Unity Health. Before medical school, she worked extensively in the mental health field to bridge the gap between providers and the Deaf community.
Tracy implemented a study to assess residents' knowledge of the interpretation services available at Unity Health. An educational program was created to increase resident understanding of the interpretation services available, provide instruction on how to access the services, and increase the utilization of interpretation services by residents. This study was presented at the American Psychiatric Association 2021 (Virtual) Annual Meeting.
Tracy has a passion for "empowering and teaching people to take charge of their mental health and bringing mental health awareness and knowledge to the Deaf community."
This program will improve the care of patients in need of a sign language interpreter by ensuring they are fully engaged in their medical care via a qualified interpreter.