Accessibility to Clinical Care for People who use Wheelchairs

In the United States, 25% of the general population has a disability. Ambulatory disabilities or mobility impairment represent the most common subcategory, comprising 14% of the country's populace.

People with ambulatory or physical disabilities use a range of mobility-assistive devices, from canes to scooters. Wheelchairs or wheeled mobility devices are among the most important of these, and an estimated 2.7 million people in the US use manual and powered wheelchairs annually.

People who use wheelchairs often experience barriers to medical services in healthcare settings due to generalized disability stigma, inaccessible medical settings, inadequately trained clinic staff, and the inability of healthcare providers to understand all of their patients' needs.

Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act, and the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), are federal civil rights legislations that protect US citizens with disabilities from discrimination, and mandate appropriate accommodations be provided to ensure equal access, opportunities, and care in all sectors of society, including healthcare.

Those with mobility impairment who use wheelchairs are therefore protected under the law and must be afforded equal access to clinical care for the prevention and treatment of illness, injury, and disease.

The US Department of Justice and Department of Health and Human Services' Access to Medical Care for Individuals with Mobility Disabilities summarizes practical strategies which healthcare settings can adopt to create an accessible clinical environment.

Medical staff should receive appropriate training for working with patients who use wheelchairs, and operating accessible equipment through local or national disability organizations.

Hospitals and clinics should adopt these strategies along with a few other wheelchair-accessible approaches to provide good quality service to all patients.

When patients who use wheelchairs book an appointment, they should be assured about the accessibility of the clinic, which can reduce anxiety and increase feelings of comfort, respect, and safety.

Accessible building entrances with an elevator or ramp and easily approachable waiting and examination rooms equipped with specific medical instruments are important.

Communication is another important aspect of creating a conducive environment for the patient.

Responsible communication starts by asking the patient about their preferences for addressing them, such as patient-first or identity-first language. An example of person-first language is "patient with paraplegia," and an example of identity-first language is "paraplegic person."

Another example of person-first language is the phrase "person who uses a wheelchair." This type of respectful communication has replaced outdated phrases like "person confined to a wheelchair" or "wheelchair-bound." Responsible verbal communication can avoid misunderstandings, and help provide quality service to the patient.

Similarly, it is essential to let the patient take the lead when it comes to activities of daily living like transfers. The clinic should play a supportive role and create space for the patient's preferences to facilitate a comfortable appointment on their terms.

Integrating these approaches into clinical practice can foster good medical care and inclusive clinical environments, empowering clinicians to both fulfill their duty of care to patients and uphold the civil law.

In this video, we will present a few strategies to optimize medical environments that serve people who use wheelchairs to promote a better culture of inclusion and equity in healthcare settings.

When a patient calls a hospital to book an appointment, the medical staffer should ask the  patient whether they use a wheelchair or need any accommodations related to access, mobility, 

or communication.

If the patient answers yes, then the medical staffer should ask the following questions to the   patient. What type of wheelchair do you have? What is your usual method for transfer from a wheelchair to the examination table and vice versa? Do you need assistance with transfers,  changing clothes, or any other task during the clinical encounter? The medical staffer should also inform the patient that it is not necessary to bring someone to help them during the exam as the medical staff is fully trained to assist persons with disabilities.

There are essential steps for medical organizations to make their clinic more accessible to people who use wheelchairs.

There should be multiple accessible parking spots that are in close proximity to the entrance of the clinic. The international wheelchair logo and braille should be included if the parking spot is ADA-compliant.

For outpatient facilities that treat people with mobility disabilities, a greater percentage of parking spots need to be designated as accessible ones. These parking spots should have enough space to allow using ramps on the vehicles.

Some patients may use public transportation to visit the hospital, and in such scenarios, the bus stop should be near to the entrance of the hospital.

It is helpful to keep in mind that the use of public transportation can make it difficult for patients to arrive on time. In this circumstance, medical organizations should consider asking if patients will be using public transportation, and allowing flexibility for arrival times.

An accessible elevator or a ramp should also be available at the entrance of the clinic.

Also, the door opening system should not involve tight twisting, pinching, or grasping. Ideally, automatic door-opening systems with wireless push-button, or wave controls should be used.

When the patient opens the door to 90 degrees, an accessible doorway should have at least 32 inches of clear opening width.

Once inside, hallways in the clinic must be clear and should have an appropriate width of at least 36 inches to allow free movement of the wheelchair, with enough turning space so the patient can turn right or left easily.

Standard front desk or check-in kiosks are often too high for a person who uses a wheelchair, so ideally, the whole front desk or at least some part of it should be set at a universally accessible height of between 28-34 inches to enable easy interaction between patients and staff .

The clinic should also have general directional signage to the closest accessible bathroom and a restroom.

The accessible bathroom and restroom should have features including automatic or easy-open door entrance, enlarged toilet stalls, accessible faucet controls, comfortable reach-range of toilet paper, and grab bars near the toilet. The placement of trash cans and paper towels should be considered, as well.

Standard in-person waiting rooms include a few rows of chairs, organized to best accommodate patients. An inclusive waiting room should be large enough to accommodate people with various types of mobility devices, such as scooters, wheelchairs, canes, crutches, and walkers, as well as service animals.  

Where there are chairs, there should be designated but not segregated or separate spaces where seated persons' devices can fit with ease. Where there are coat hooks, there should be lower hooks available.

At least one exam room in a clinic space should meet the accessibility specifications for wheelchair users, although more rooms may be needed based on the population being served.

In such rooms, there should be a clear space of at least 30 inches by 48 inches next to the exam table, with access to the entryway, so that it is possible to complete a side transfer to the exam table. More space may be needed if using a portable patient lift or stretcher.

Additionally, the examination table will need to have an adjustable height so that transfers can be completed.

Exam tables should lower to wheelchair seat height, 17-19 inches from the floor.

There should be additional space between the wall and table for a staffer to assist in completing a transfer if necessary.

Open floor space is also needed at the end of the table. Ideally, the patient should have enough space to complete a 180-degree turn requiring either a 60 inches diameter or 60 inches by 60 inches T-shaped space.

Many patients report feeling stranded when their wheelchair or mobility devices are placed out of reach or removed from the examination room. The wheelchair should not be removed from the examination room without the patient's consent. If it is necessary to remove the wheelchair or mobility device, it should immediately be brought back into the room once the examination is complete.

For clinics that complete gynecological exams or mammography studies, necessary accessible equipment should be available for the patients. For example, the accessible mammography machine has an adjustable height, and it also allows wheelchair clearance below the camera unit.

For the adjustable height exam table, there should be padded leg supports to help complete a gynecological exam for individuals who cannot move or support their legs.

During an encounter with a patient who uses a wheelchair, it is of paramount importance to create an inclusive environment and build a culture of dignity and respect through the use of appropriate verbal and non-verbal communication by all staff at the healthcare organization.

If a patient arrives at the clinic with a relative, friend or caregiver, first, the care team needs to ask the patient if they want to discuss healthcare matters in front of this individual. If the patient says it is ok, during the encounter, the care team needs to speak directly to the patient, as this demonstrates respect and prevents paternalistic interactions during the visit.

During the encounter, like all encounters, standing over a patient can be intimidating and potentially hinder the patient-doctor connection or cause discomfort to the patient as they need to look upwards constantly to have a conversation. Therefore, try to sit down in front of the patient at eye level and then initiate a conversation with them.

After the patient is roomed, the first medical staffer interacting with the patient should review how the medical team can assist them during this visit. Specifically, they should review what support they may need for transfers, changing clothes, and communication.

When a patient needs to be evaluated in the prone, side-lying, or supine position, transfers from the wheelchair to the exam table represent one of the most important components of the patient visit. The medical staffer is responsible for assisting patients when the patient indicates that they need or want an accommodation.

If the clinical standard of care can be administered effectively and accurately in the seated position, then it may not be necessary to transfer the patient to the examination table; however, the exam should not be compromised for the convenience of a clinician or staffer.

If the transfer needs to be performed, the medical staffer should ask the patient about their preferred method of transfer and if they need assistance.

There are different techniques for transferring when patients require assistance, but all methods start with the patient positioning the wheelchair alongside the exam table, locking the wheel brakes, and then removing or adjusting the armrest and footrest such that they do not obstruct the transfer.

Assisted transfer to the exam table can be carried out using a gait belt for a standing transfer or a slide board for a sitting transfer.  

For the transfer using a slide board, the wheelchair should be angled 30 to 45 degrees toward the table and should be close enough where the slide board could bridge the gap between the wheelchair seat and the top of the table. 

In preparation for the transfer, remove the armrest of the chair and ensure that the patient's feet are facing forward and have firm contact with the ground.  

Next, ask the patient to shift their weight to the hip farther away from the table and then insert, or ask if they need assistance in inserting the slide board underneath the hip closest to the table, ensuring that at least one-third of the length of the board is placed below the hip. To prevent wrist strain, ask the patient to make fists instead of moving with open hands.

The patient can also be transferred from the wheelchair to the exam table and vice versa, using a portable or ceiling lift. Safe use of a hoyer lift requires expertise and is preferred when alternative transfer methods are not safe due to the patient's overall strength, muscle control, muscle tone, and/or body habitus.