Three Effective Strategies Health Professionals Can Use to Improve Services for People with Disability
Healthcare access can often be challenging and negative for people with disability, largely due to issues like appointment difficulties, negative attitudes, and ableism.
Improving healthcare experiences requires clear action and ongoing reflection by health professionals.
Here are three practical strategies professionals can implement to enhance care for people with disabilities.
1. Understand and Address Your Own Biases
Implicit biases against people with disability often manifest as negative attitudes, stereotypes, and assumptions of incompetence or dependency. To combat this:
Take an Implicit Association Test (IAT): This tool objectively measures implicit biases that may influence interactions unconsciously.
Practice Reflection: Regular reflective practice, individually and in supervision or team settings, can significantly reduce effects of biases. Consider reflecting on these key questions:
What are my personal and professional experiences with disability
What feelings or thoughts arise when interacting with people with disabilities?
What assumptions do I typically make about people with disability?
How might these biases affect the quality of my care?
2. Learn Directly from People with Disability
The most valuable insights into disability come from those with lived experiences. Engaging with people who have disability can enrich your understanding.
Here’s how:
Attend Training and Workshops: Participate in professional development sessions facilitated by people with disability.
Join Disability Events: Regularly attend events hosted by disability advocacy groups and representative organisations.
Engage in Conversations: Meaningful dialogue is beneficial, but always remain respectful and understand that not everyone may wish to share their personal experiences.
3. Provide Flexible and Accessible Healthcare Services
Flexibility and accessibility are fundamental to quality healthcare. Health professionals should aim to tailor services to accommodate diverse individual needs:
Communication Adaptations: Use clear, simple language, visual aids, interpreters (including Auslan), and augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices.
Flexible Appointment Formats: Offer variations in appointment length, structure, and delivery method (e.g., telehealth options).
Accessible Information and Documentation: Provide forms in digital and print formats, and ensure they are easy to read and understand.
Environment Adjustments: Ensure your facilities are fully accessible, including wheelchair accessibility, adequate lighting, accessible parking, and amenities.
Simple adjustments, such as including questions on intake forms about required accommodations and directly asking people about their needs, can significantly enhance accessibility and comfort.
To further improve your understanding and competency in these areas, explore our specialised professional development program, “Know Your Bias – Working with Clients with Disabilities.” This comprehensive training covers bias awareness, disability education from lived experiences, and practical strategies for making your practice inclusive and accessible.
References
Karami Matin, B., et al. (2021). Barriers in access to healthcare for women with disabilities. BMC Women's Health.
Harkins, S. E., et al. (2025). Perinatal healthcare experiences of people with disability. Disability and Health Journal.
de Vries McClintock, H. F., et al. (2016). Health care experiences and perceptions among people with disabilities. Disability and Health Journal.
Antonopoulos, C. R., et al. (2023). Implicit bias toward people with disability. Rehabilitation Psychology.