There's
potentially good news for the disabled getting access to
specialized medical equipment that does not accommodate
them.
Recently I was scheduled for magnetic resonance
imaging. This test is vital for the diagnosis and
treatment of many diseases and injuries. An MRI machine
obtains a detailed image of the human body. The patient
lies flat on a narrow table and is slid inside the
machine, similar to putting a turkey in the oven. The
device is open at either end, but inside it's a close
fit with your face about 8 inches away from the machine.
Some machines have a mirror set up so you can look at
your feet, alleviating the feelings of claustrophobia.
This time I had a problem. I have contractures of my
hamstrings, which are tighter than violin strings.
Sitting for years in a wheelchair causes this condition.
I've had them cut and lengthened over the years, but
they revert back about a year later.
During the preparation, technicians propped me up
with sponges, pillows and strapped my legs down as far
as they could go. But I couldn't fit into the machine.
My legs just wouldn't straighten out.
This problem of disability access to medical
equipment is a critical issue in the health care
industry that only now is being recognized and
addressed. The Rehabilitation Engineering Research
Center has been given the task of assessing the issue
with funding by National Institute on Disability and
Rehabilitation Research of the U.S. Department of
Education. They have sent out surveys via e-mail and
letters to thousands of hospitals and health care
companies asking what problems the health care industry
is facing with disability access.
The center's inquiry, called Accessible Medical
Instrumentation, is guided by the premise that all
persons should have access to health care
instrumentation and services and to employment in the
health care professions regardless of disability.
The goals of the inquiry are to increase knowledge
of, access to and utilization of health care
instrumentation and services by individuals with
disabilities; increase awareness of and access to
employment in the health care professions by individuals
with disabilities; and serve as a national center of
excellence for this priority area.
The center is taking a stance because the problems
are not just "what if" scenarios for the
future. These problems are growing partly because of
demographics. Many baby boomers want to keep working.
With aging comes disability in many forms.
Without redesign of machines - that have not changed,
some since their creation - many disabled baby boomers
will face access problems as some are faced with early
retirement or living off government disability income.
With all the budget cuts, this issue could be the
sleeping giant that threatens to affect nation's already
high medical care costs, if ignored.
The center's Web site, www.rerc-ami.org, is up and
running, and waiting for the health care industry to
help avoid the oncoming train wreck of failing to
provide critical access to fundamental medical care or
diagnostic equipment that needs to be redesigned or
modified to accommodate the disabled.
I urge all health care professionals to visit the Web
site, participate in the surveys and keep the disabled
access train on track.
You can e-mail Barbara J. McKee at chairgrrl@chairgrrl.com.
Her column runs on Tuesdays.
