Health
People with developmental disabilities should have equal access to care, says AMA
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Jan. 5, 2004
Those with developmental disabilities should have access to appropriate and affordable medical and dental care throughout their lives, and an individual's medical condition and welfare should be the basis of any medical decision, according to policy adopted at the AMA's Interim Meeting in Honolulu in December.
The AMA House of Delegates took this stance because of the unique challenges that this group of patients faces in accessing primary care and other health services because of their disabilities. Doctors may hesitate to provide care because of a lack of knowledge of best practices for this group and those who are developmentally disabled may be denied care because of perceptions from physicians and other health care professionals, as well as family members, that they have a poor quality of life. As adults, they may not be eligible for many services that they used to get as minors. Dental care is a particular challenge because it may require sedation and a hospital stay for even the most minor procedure.
"I chair a medical committee that supports a large center for the developmentally disabled, and we have a constant problem getting care for these people," said Mack Worthington, MD, a Tennessee delegate.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2004/01/05/hlbf0105.htm.