Many people face barriers to healthcare as the system is presently structured, and persons with disabilities are often disproportionately affected by those barriers and likely to face additional ones. These barriers lead to poorer healthcare and treatment outcomes. The tech industry is constantly developing solutions to address inequalities across industries, but how is it innovating to break down barriers and improve access to healthcare?
What barriers to healthcare do persons with disabilities face?
There are countless potential barriers a person with a disability may have to overcome to access healthcare, many of which can be categorized as structural, sociocultural, or financial.
Structural barriers refer to those that are related to the structure of the healthcare system itself. Some individuals may be physically unable to access healthcare due to a lack of sufficient accessible transportation or the absence of healthcare providers in their area. Nearby healthcare sites may not have accessible facilities or equipment, the availability of services may be limited or the steps to actually receiving care could be excessively complex.
Sociocultural barriers include discrimination, poor treatment, and lack of respect based on one’s disability status and, in the worse cases, could even involve violence or abuse. Poor communication between the patient and provider or between a patient’s multiple providers can also create barriers to sufficient care, especially for those who may already be facing linguistic challenges. Poor access to health information could leave patients with a lack of sufficient knowledge to be able to fully advocate for their own care. And if a provider is uninformed on how to appropriately care for and communicate with a patient who has a disability, the resulting barriers could have significant consequences for the patient.
With care being difficult for many to afford and sufficient insurance coverage not being universally available, financial barriers are a well-known problem in the current healthcare system. Persons with disabilities who require specialized care may face even greater challenges when it comes to being able to afford that care, especially since having access to adequate insurance isn’t guaranteed.
How is the tech industry making a difference?
Though it may not initially seem like the most impressive innovation, telehealth is making a huge difference in breaking down barriers. By giving persons with disabilities remote access to healthcare providers, those who cannot physically meet with a medical professional can still participate in a consultation. This is significant not only to those facing challenges related to transportation, location, or mobility but also for those who may face challenges related to disrupting their usual routine or being in unfamiliar environments.
Improved electronic record systems can also remove barriers to accessible healthcare. Advanced systems can help reduce the time providers need to spend manually organizing patient-related information, allowing them to focus their energy on the important insights that information provides and—even more important—on patients themselves. More time spent on care can lead to better communication and understanding between patient and provider, leading to better healthcare and outcomes. Better record systems can also provide synchronized, more accurate information to all providers a patient may need to consult, improving the quality of care across the board. This can also give patients consistent access to their own information, which can help them stay well informed and improve their ability to advocate for themselves in a healthcare setting.
The development of accessible medical devices can help reduce barriers to care caused by inaccessible equipment and facilities, which is essential at healthcare sites but can also be very useful in home settings, in which it would eliminate the need to go to a designated facility to receive that care.
Mobile apps being used to address various challenges are also helping to remove barriers. Informational apps can help educate both patients with disabilities and their providers and assistive apps can help connect persons with disabilities with interpreters, guides, or other assistance if needed.
Final thoughts
Quality healthcare is something that everyone should have access to, and improving healthcare and outcomes for persons with disabilities is crucial to making healthcare more equitable. There are many barriers to overcome to achieve this, but the solutions that exist today show that the tech industry can mitigate new challenges as needed.
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