By: Johanne Mayer
Creating Inclusive Healthcare
When you speak directly to the patient, it shows the person that they are heard and that they matter. This is important in having respectful, inclusive care. Support people should definitely have a role, but they should not replace the patient’s voice unless, of course, the patient requests it or is unable to communicate.
Here are some reasons why inclusive healthcare matters:
- it respects the person’s dignity
- encourages participation
- improves communication
- builds trust
- can support informed consent if medical decisions are explained to the patient in a way they can understand
- also gives them the opportunity to ask questions and to feel like they have a role in their healthcare.
Talking to the patient first isn’t the only thing that is important with inclusive healthcare, it’s also in the way one greets the person that matters. When making eye contact with their support person, medical professionals should also do that with the patient. Also, if a patient uses different ways to communicate that may not be talking such as using a device, allow time and support for them to use it; this helps with some independence and makes someone feel good about themselves like they feel like they contributed a little with their healthcare needs. Overall, give the patient time to respond without rushing. The bottom line is that everyone deserves equal treatment and should not be overlooked. By doing all this it makes the patient feel more confident with medical professionals with their healthcare needs. All people want is to be cared for in the same way anyone else would be cared for. Care shouldn’t be different for people with disabilities.
Also, health information should be easy for everyone to understand. When information is clear it makes it more accessible for people to play some role with decisions about their healthcare and with having better communication with medical professionals. Here are some ways one can make it easier for a patient; when sharing information use simple everyday words instead of medical jargon, keep sentences short and easy to follow and explain one thing at a time. Another way that can help with conveying information is by using visual supports such as pictures, symbols and videos because it can help one understand better. Visuals and seeing something can help people with disabilities understand and process information better than oral communication alone, so we should be take that into consideration.
Making health information accessible helps people with disabilities understand their health and treatment, helps with decision making, medication safety, being able to attend appointments prepared, and helps one with feeling more confident in themselves. Overall, not being overlooked and having understandable health information laid out can help everyone to experience better health outcomes and more equal access to healthcare. This should not be something someone needs to fight for, it should be a given.
Johanne Mayer is the podcast host of Inclusive Views, a disability advocate, writer, and Ambassador for The National Down syndrome Society. She also teaches students with disabilities at Mercer County College and volunteers at the Zani’s Fury Friends Dog Rescue. Johanne hosts a monthly disability book club. For more information, check out InclusiveViewsPodcast.com. Be sure to also check out Johanne’s other blog article “Becoming Proud.”
