Home care solutions eliminate barriers and ensure full participation of people of all abilities
More than 60 million people in the U.S. live with disabilities, which is one in every four Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), many people with functional disabilities face challenges to accessing high-quality healthcare for a variety of reasons, like mobility, cognition, hearing, vision, and the ability to practice daily self-care.
Virtual health services are enormously beneficial for people with disabilities due to the ease of access and overall reduced healthcare barriers. With the rise in telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic, people of all abilities are discovering it’s faster and easier than ever to connect with their healthcare providers through home care solutions.
People who have disabilities often face health issues that require frequent healthcare access including:
On top of this, adults with disabilities are less likely than others to have a primary care provider or seek routine annual healthcare evaluations. This leads to wide gaps in care that set the stage for poor health outcomes.
Whether in-person or via a telemedicine appointment, access to necessary care is fundamental to maintaining a healthy population. Virtual care solutions provide greater access to persons with a disability who might otherwise face additional barriers to personal health services.
In fact, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) highlights telehealth as a key method for ensuring equal access to healthcare under federal disability discrimination laws like the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
The HHS recommends that healthcare providers use the following best practices for providing legally compliant healthcare for people with disabilities:
These best practices not only improve healthcare access for those with disabilities, but could save their lives. Virtual home care solutions have a proven track record of keeping people with disabilities out of the hospital for preventable problems.
A New York-based telehealth provider found decreased emergency room trips among patients with intellectual disabilities. The virtual healthcare provider’s innovative pilot program used interventions like in-home pulse oximeters, stethoscopes, and blood pressure monitors to share data with healthcare providers, offer preventive care, and prevent unnecessary ER visits.
The continued need for inclusive telehealth services is highlighting certain persistent challenges in supporting those with functional disabilities. Virtual health programs must be capable of overcoming known challenges that come along with providing effective and inclusive home care solutions.
Virtual health services help major healthcare providers address and overcome challenges to better serve and improve population health. In addition, telehealth tools individualize patient care and help people adhere to medical guidance.
A study from the National Institutes of Health systematically reviewed more than 2,000 telehealth studies to evaluate patient satisfaction. Compared to previous experiences, a majority of 61% reported greater satisfaction with ease of use, low cost, decreased travel hassle, and overall better healthcare communication.
When it comes to serving people with disabilities, AMC Health is at the forefront of a revolution in superior virtual health solutions. We offer a full suite of home care options that empower people with disabilities and maximize healthcare resource management.
Virtual health services are enormously beneficial for people with disabilities due to the ease of access and overall reduced healthcare barriers. With the rise in telehealth use during the COVID-19 pandemic, people of all abilities are discovering it’s faster and easier than ever to connect with their healthcare providers through home care solutions.