Support Persons for Patients with Disabilities
MedStar Health is committed to protecting patient rights for visitation and ensuring accommodations for patients with disabilities while providing a safe environment for our patients, visitors, and staff in accordance with MedStar Health’s Patient & Visitor Code of Conduct.
The designation and approval of Support Persons for patients with disabilities are incorporated into each entity’s visiting procedures. With the exception of patients on locked Behavioral Health units, Support Persons may accompany patients with disabilities who require Support Person assistance in order to process relevant medical information or make healthcare-related decisions, aid comprehension, and/or fully communicate in order to receive equivalent medical treatment.
Examples of disabilities where a support person may be necessary include, but are not limited to:
- Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD)
- Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
- Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Certain mental health disabilities (including severe anxiety disorders)
- Conditions that have caused dementia
- Alzheimer’s disease
Patients With Disabilities With Support Person
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Support Persons may be necessary to accompany patients with disabilities throughout their visit or stay at MedStar Health. Once conveyed to MedStar, this designation will be documented in the patient’s record. Additionally:
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Patients with disabilities may designate more than one Support Person, but only one Support Person may be present at a time. MedStar prefers continuity in Support Persons throughout a patient’s visit, but alternate support persons may be approved in certain circumstances. This will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.
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Ambulatory patients with disabilities may designate one Support Person who may accompany the patient during an ambulatory visit. All Support Persons for patients with disabilities will remain with the patient or in a designated waiting area depending on the needs of the patients and the nature of the procedure (e.g., surgery, x-rays, etc.).
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MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital (MNRH) is a specialty hospital and requires additional patient protections/safeguards against infection at the facility. MNRH will provide individualized assessment of the needs of a patient with a disability and provide for the presence of Support Persons as necessary to ensure equal access to health care.
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A Support Person may be a family member, personal care assistant, companion, similar disability service provider, or other individual who is needed to help the patient process relevant medical information or make healthcare-related decisions, aid comprehension, and/or fully communicate in order to receive medical care.
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A Support Person may be present to address needs that are not visually apparent to someone who does not know them (e.g., discomfort, hunger, thirst, pain), changes in their symptoms, and/or emotional self-regulation and anxiety management.
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Support persons for hospitalized patients with disabilities will be permitted to safely eat, drink, and use a restroom while present in the facility, provided proper precautions are taken to contain the spread of infection.
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Other accommodations for patients with disabilities may be approved by clinical leadership according to the needs of the patient, provided the accommodations comply with all safety policies including infection prevention policies and MedStar Health’s Patient & Visitor Code of Conduct.
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The point of contact person is the administrator on call or clinical leadership in the ambulatory setting to support and address any questions.
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Any exceptions to this policy must be approved by the Entity’s Vice President of Medical Affairs, Chief Nursing Officer, or clinical leadership.
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Cancer treatment areas may be subject to heightened infection control prevention measures to ensure the safety of immunocompromised patients. Support Persons for patients with disabilities may be allowed as necessary based on an individualized determination for patients with cancer and disabilities.
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Patients With Disability Without Support Person
If a patient with a disability does not have a Support Person present during the patient’s visit or stay, MedStar Health will provide necessary aids and services and ensure effective communication and equal access to health care. MedStar Health recognizes its ongoing obligation to provide patients with effective communication support consistent with applicable federal or state laws and regulations.
Patients With Disability Requesting Religious Services
Patients may receive religious services from the clergy of their choice at any reasonable time if it can be provided without disruption to care. Clergy will not count as the patient’s visitor.