Addressing Ableism in the Healthcare System: 5 Tips for Advocacy
By: Zoey Schvan
Hello Whimble readers, I am back with a post about ableism in the healthcare system. Let’s go through a few scenarios that can come up. These are obviously just some examples, there will be many things not covered. Once we’ve gone through the list of possible issues, I’ll share five tips I’ve learnt over the years.
Calling An Ambulance
Based on personal experience, calling for a paramedic gets complicated if you don't have a “common” medical issue, like a broken bone or heart attack. If you have a more complex case, the people on the other line start asking questions, making the situation even more stressful.
Being Admitted
You would think that due to your concern being an actual emergency, there wouldn't be a long wait-time, but sadly this is not the case. With the current pandemic, wait-times can be extremely long, sometimes even over 20 hours. Space and chairs are also limited, which creates a possibly inaccessible environment. Once you are finally admitted, you have to be examined, and then things go from there.
Being Discharged
You remember that rare condition that was mentioned earlier? If this particular condition causes symptoms that don’t look typical to the doctors, the plan to discharge you might get complicated.
Quality Of Care
Disabled people have been sharing stories of ableism in medical settings for ages; what I’m about to share is just a small example. Being the only person in Ottawa with a certain condition can make things complicated. There is a team of experts for my condition in the U.S., so whenever I’m admitted into an Ottawa hospital, we request that the doctor get in touch with them. Sadly, this always causes friction, as admitting they don't know everything can be difficult for doctors. One particular time, it took the local doctors almost an entire week to bring themselves to call them. This prolonged my stay and made receiving proper care very hard.
Amenities
Medical areas do not always work for every body type. This is noticeable in different ways, one common example being with their machines. For example, MRI machines are not equipped for larger body sizes. Patients have actually had their treatments delayed for this reason before, which is outrageous. This is ableism at its worst.
Equally shocking, are those small dental and eye exam rooms. As someone who uses a walker, it is always a hassle getting in and out of these tiny rooms, maneuvering around counters, chairs, and not to mention, all the machinery. I am certain that a wheelchair user would not be able to even enter these rooms.
Covid Pandemic
For a while, masks were not mandatory in medical settings, and actually still aren’t in certain places. For some of us, a ‘light cold’ (a term some have used when referring to covid) could turn into a hospital stay. So, whenever covid precautions are not being taken, it can be very easy for this one instance to turn into a much bigger and more dangerous health concern.
Tips
Tip #1:
One of the most helpful steps to take is learning how to advocate for yourself. Easier said than done, I know. A lot of us find this hard to do, even though when it comes to our loved ones, it feels a lot simpler. This brings me to my first tip; pretend it’s not you, pretend it’s a family member that is being (mis)treated. Sometimes this can help motivate us to advocate for ourselves.
Tip #2:
Knowing your own medical history. Let me start by saying that this technically should not be our job, but from personal experience, it can be super helpful. If you approach a medical professional with even just a homemade sheet of symptoms, diagnoses, etc., this can, for some reason, make them take notice.
Tip #3:
You could start an appointment with a doctor by saying something like, “Hi, my name is [insert your name here], and my access needs are [place for your access needs].” A sentence as simple as this is already a perfect way to advocate for yourself!
Tip #4:
You can ask for a second opinion, even a third! We know ourselves and our bodies the best, so the moment something doesn't feel right, you can most definitely go elsewhere for another opinion, this is your right. Always trust yourself!
Tip #5:
Medical speak can be confusing and overwhelming. Lots of us may not remember or understand everything our doctor told us during an appointment. This is totally okay! Bring a loved one with you, anyone you trust, to be your extra set of ears.
I cannot stress this enough; this post is just scratching the surface of ableism in healthcare. Hopefully reading it can lead to some important conversations!
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Header image (two people holding hands in a hospital setting) via Jon Tyson / Unsplash
Hi! My name is Zoey Schvan, I’m a 33-year-old disabled entrepreneurship coach based in Ottawa. I have a super rare condition called familial dysautonomia (FD), which is a progressive disorder that affects my nervous system. I’ve had this my whole life, and am very proud to be able to share my journey with my fellow disabled entrepreneurs, in the hopes that it may help them in any way. I work with my clients at whatever part of their entrepreneurial journey they may be.
Apart from this, I also offer content writing services and do advocacy work for the disabled community.
Instagram / Twitter : @zoeyschvan
