September Solutions

School has begun throughout the state of Maryland, and we at the Bridges Technical Assistance Center and Helpdesk explore solutions to help prepare for two environments we cannot control: Medical care and Microsoft’s new operating system, Windows 11.

September 3: Accessibility for Medical Check-in and Information
September 10: Advocating for Medical Accessibility
September 17: Comparing and Contrasting Windows 10 and Windows 11 (Celebrating National IT Professionals Day with our special guest contributor, accessible technology expert Curtis Chong)
September 24: Tips For Using Windows 11 with JAWS (from our special guest contributor, accessible technology expert Curtis Chong)

This week, we focus on tools for advocating for accessibility in healthcare.

“Do You Have a Sighted Person with You?”

How many times have you been asked that question? Probably a lot. Many blind/low vision people, including our own project coordinator, report that medical office staff often respond to an accessibility problem by asking if a sighted person can read a document, sign a form, operate an inaccessible kiosk, etc. While a reader is certainly a valuable resource and accommodation that many people use, it is not an acceptable solution.

By asking for a sighted person to be present, the doctor’s office is transferring the responsibility for accessibility to you. As we learned in last week’s Transition Tip, Accessibility for Medical Check-in and Information, medical facilities are required by law to provide materials in an accessible format. If they are following the law, they should have accessible materials before you even get to the office.

Remember these important words from last week’s article:

You have NO DUTY to share your information aloud or online in an AI app.
You have NO DUTY to bring someone with you to make the healthcare setting and information accessible.
You have NO DUTY to call ahead to make certain the healthcare provider has acceptable accommodations in place before your visit.
Nevertheless, you may engage in these alternatives if YOU choose to do so.

What Are My Rights?

The article above shares some important basics on our rights in medical environments, as well as strategies for dealing with inaccessible materials. We also recommend our Resource Library entry on Reasonable Accommodations in Healthcare Settings. Though some people who have a duty under the law might not be aware of the law, it’s still important for us to know our rights so we can educate them. The law is on our side, and we have recourse if we don’t have equal access to our healthcare.

How do I Advocate in the Moment?

It’s great to know our rights and how to complain if necessary, but how do we advocate when we’re in the “room where it happens”? Here are a few tips:

Offer solutions: “Could you email this form to me so I can fill it out on my phone?” “Can I go in a private room with a staff member to fill it out?”
Stay calm and positive, focusing on what you need and how they can help you: “This print material is inaccessible to me, but you could send it to me electronically.”
Only mention the law if they continue to be insistent. Of course, you have every right to complain to the Department of Health or get help from advocacy organizations.

Bottom Line

Advocacy is a balance between persistence and diplomacy. For help with that advocacy, contact us at the free Bridges Helpdesk. We’ll strategize with you and advocate with you for your rights.

Reach Out to Us at the Free Bridges Helpdesk anytime!

Please check out the Bridges Technical Assistance Center Resource Library today!

Contact us

Follow the Bridges Helpdesk Facebook page for more transition tips, and please contact the Bridges Technical Assistance Center’s Free Helpdesk for Maryland Blind/Low Vision Transition Students, Families, and Educators anytime using:

Our Accessible web form
Email: Helpdesk@IMAGEmd.org
Text or Leave a Voice mail message: (410) 357-1546
Bridges Helpdesk Facebook page or Facebook Messenger

This unique project is being coordinated through The IMAGE Center of Maryland, a center for independent living in Towson, and it is funded by a grant from the Maryland Department of Education Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services.