Disabled people are
everywhere. You want
all of us to tell every-
one we know that we
had a great experience
at your facility.
Q
How can surgi-
cal facilities
improve on their
accommodations for
disabled patients?
A
Patient centeredness requires that you respect patients' prefer-
ences, needs and values, and collaborate with them on their
care. This goal holds special resonance for persons with disabilities,
because we often find that people make assumptions about us that
define and circumscribe our lives and opportunities, and artificially
limit our goals, aspirations and abilities.
If there's one rule for communicating with us, it's to make no
assumptions. Ask us about our needs and preferences in the same
way you would any other patient.
Right now, physicians don't do a great job with this. In one study,
people with disabilities reported dissatisfaction with care for 10 of the
12 quality dimensions. Disabled patients were more likely to be dissat-
isfied with physicians completely understanding their conditions,
physicians completely discussing their health problems and answer-
ing all their questions.
N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 9 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y. N E T • 5 7
COMPASSIONATE CARE Meet with disabled patients before surgery and take
the necessary steps to make their experience as comfortable and as positive as
possible.
