Spinal Cord Advocates

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has recently developed standards, outlined in an informative document titled Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities that may be helpful to health providers, as well as people with mobility impairments that are encountering obstacles in accessing healthcare.

• Doctors must give equal care and access to people with mobility impairments.

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Read the DOJ's Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities

Both the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the recent health reform legislation require that medical practices and equipment be accessible, however, many physicians and other healthcare professionals are still unfamiliar with the law.
Despite the ADA’s goal to ensure that people living with mobility impairments have equal access to medical care as people who do not use wheelchairs, many face discrimination. This can and does occur in a variety of healthcare settings, from receiving critical treatment in an emergency room, getting fillings at the dentist, having tests performed such as a mammography, or visiting the doctor’s office for a routine physical.

The DOJ has been a strong proponent to greater access to healthcare for people living with disabilities since the signing of the ADA. It has tried its best to enforce the law. Over the years, through lawsuits and settlement agreements, the DOJ has assisted many individuals in getting the health services and care they are entitled to.

Although it took some time – there is finally a document outlining appropriate care. This should be a valuable resource in understanding the rights of patients with mobility impairments for ALL, hopefully leading to less discrimination against many who have faced it in the past.

The document provides useful information on the accessible features that are required (under ADA Standards for Accessible Design) of all examination rooms and the importance of accessible medical equipment, including adjustable-height exam tables and chairs; wheelchair-accessible scales; adjustable-height radiologic equipment; portable floor and overhead track lifts; and gurneys and stretchers. It also answers many commonly asked questions of healthcare providers, such as “Is it OK to tell a patient who has a disability to bring along someone who can help at the exam?” and “Can I tell a patient that I cannot treat her because I don’t have accessible medical equipment?”

Andrew Morris, MPH
Director of Legislation,
Spinal Cord Advocates