The new Accommodations in Medicine Committee (a sub-committee of the Academy of Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine, or ADIEM) shares the belief that all people have the right to equitable medical care regardless of a disability (physical, mental/ cognitive, emotional) or cultural/linguistic discordance. ADIEM’s mission is to improve emergency care by reducing health care disparities and inequity through education, scholarship, and clinical service. For patients and families who require accommodations, the physician must acknowledge barriers to care (physical, spatial, linguistic, cultural, etc.) and develop a plan with the patient and hospital in order to deliver high quality care. For health care providers and students who require accommodations, this means recognizing their own need for accommodations (physical, spatial, linguistic, mental health,
etc.), learning the tools to advocate for themselves in a professional setting, and collaborating with their employers/ institutions to create an environment that fosters career development and the successful delivery of equitable health care. Finally, as with all matters of health disparity, more research and scholarship is needed to better understand and minimize the impact of these factors in emergency medicine.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Jason M. Rotoli, MD is an assistant residency director and assistant professor of emergency medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center. He is also the Deaf Health Pathways Director at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry and is a strong advocate for improving health literacy and access to care, especially among the culturally Deaf population.
The new Accommodations in Medicine Committee (a subcommittee of the Academy of Diversity and Inclusion in Emergency Medicine, or ADIEM) shares the belief that all people have the right to equitable medical care regardless of a disability (physical, mental/cognitive, emotional) or cultural/linguistic discordance. Demonstrate your enthusiasm by advocating for this underrepresented group. Consider joining the Accommodations in Medicine Committee. Contact Jason Rotoli: Jason_rotoli@urmc.rochester.edu.
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