[acb-hsp] Losing Patience with Being a Patient

[Baracco, Andrew W]

She should bring this idea to Planetree.  Planetree is an organization
started by patients who were sick and tired of the way that they were
treated at medical facilities. They began going into medical facilities,
and offering to give training to health professionals.  They have now
grown into a nationwide organization that has designed curricula to
train medical professionals in how to treat patients. They have even
established an accrediting body, and facilities can apply to be
accredited, just like they would for CARF or JCAHO. They now train
facility staff to train other staff.  In order to become Planetree
certified, the facility must offer the Planetree curricula to its staff,
and a certain percentage of staff must complete. it.  A big feather in
their cap was to get the VA to seek Planetree certification for all its
facilities.  This would be a great vehicle to promote disability
awareness training.

Any disability awareness trainers out there looking for work?

Andy


-----Original Message-----
From: acb-hsp-bounces at acb.org [mailto:acb-hsp-bounces at acb.org] On Behalf
Of peter altschul
Sent: Thursday, December 13, 2012 8:48 AM
To: Acbhsp
Subject: [acb-hsp] Losing Patience with Being a Patient

Losing Patience with Being a Patient

by Stephanie Stephens Van Posted on 12/6/2012 at 10:46 AM by Maureen
Duffy

Head shot of Stephanie Stephens Van

Guest blogger Stephanie Stephens Van has lectured nationally on adapted
crafts and leisure activities; adjustment to blindness and low vision;
functional vision skills; and activities of daily living.  Stephanie is
a Vision Rehabilitation Therapist, a Low Vision Therapist, and an
adjunct instructor at the Salus University College of Education and
Rehabilitation.  She is the author of A Day on the Road with Vision
Rehabilitation Therapist Stephanie Stephens Van and Finding and Hiring a
Driver When You're Blind or Visually Impaired.  Stephanie has a Master's
degree in Blind Rehabilitation from Western Michigan University.

Why I'm Impatient

Recently, I went to an outpatient medical facility for routine testing.
Since this was the seventh hospital or outpatient facility I've endured
this year, this particular process exhausted my last shred of patience.
I'm no longer patient when I'm a patient!

Most of the time I'll simply go with the flow.  When I don't feel well,
I don't want to create a "teachable moment" just because I'm not on my
A-game.  However, since I have low vision and thus have become an
ever-visible advocate for the needs of persons with low vision and
blindness, I felt there needed to be some way to address my growing
impatience with the medical system's "status quo" regarding patients
with disabilities.

After my latest encounter with the health care system, I decided that
something had to be done for all of us with vision loss across this
great land.  I felt confident that I wasn't the only person who has been
the recipient of child-like treatment by medical and hospital personnel.

Here's the Problem

In my experience, health care providers range from (a) being overly
solicitous to a long-cane-using, sunglass-wearing patient with low
vision to (b) appearing not to notice the long-cane-using,
sunglass-wearing patient at all.  Thus, more often than not, the patient
(me, in this case) must resort to yelling, "Wait! Where are you? Where
are we going?" as the health care provider sprints down the hall,
expecting the patient (me) to follow -- and keep up!

My Recent Experience

Usually, I am a patient patient, self-assured and proud of my
independence, but my most recent experience truly left me feeling "out
of my element." From the moment I arrived at the medical facility, I was
pushed ahead through doors, left in the dust while trying to follow
someone down a hall, and - worst of all -- had my identity taken away as
the nurses and the doctor refused me the chance to sign my own
"permission to treat" form prior to the procedure.  I even suffered the
humiliation of a nurse offering to undress me -- which I did not allow,
by the way!

I know that medical facilities need to meet their daily quota of
patients in order to receive insurance reimbursement.  I also understand
the significant turnover rates of aides and per-diem staff, along with
the long hours required of registered nurses and physicians.  I
understand that training all staff in every in-patient and out-patient
facility throughout this country may be a bigger-than-possible
undertaking.  There will always be someone who misses the training
provided in hospitals, rehabilitation facilities, and surgery centers
because patient coverage is required at all times.

My Potential Solution

All of this got me thinking: What if I could hand a simple form to my
health care provider to help him or her understand that patients with
vision loss are not deaf, illiterate, or unable to dressstundress or
sign our own names? What if I could hand my health care provider a
commonsense form that was to the point, not overly wordy or
time-consuming, and could provide the blind or visually impaired patient
with a modicum of dignity?

Here is what I propose.  It may not be perfect, but I believe it's a
step in the right direction:

FOR YOU: My Health Care Provider

I have a VISION IMPAIRMENT I can:

HEAR THINK SPEAK SIGN MY NAME ASK FOR HELP

I do not like to:

BE GRABBED LEFT IN UNFAMILIAR SPACES HAVE PERSONAL TASKS DONE FOR ME

I need you to:

IDENTIFY YOURSELF WHEN ENTERING MY PRESENCE INFORM ME WHEN YOU ARE
LEAVING MY PRESENCE

I am a HUMAN BEING WHO DESERVES DIGNITY.

How To Use It

This sheet can be copied as many times as needed.  Take it to your
personal care physician's or specialist's office for placement in your
medical chart..  Hand it to the admissions office when you enter a
health facility or hospital.  When you're admitted to a hospital, keep
it near your bed for the culinary and custodial staff, technicians, and
therapists.  After all, sometimes you just get plain tired of explaining
everything all the time to everyone.
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