Addressing the Inequity of Access in Health Professions for People with Disabilities

Lisa Meeks, PhD, joins this episode of Michigan Minds to discuss her work and research on improving access to medical education for learners with disabilities and reducing health care disparities in patients with disabilities. Meeks is an Assistant Professor in the Departments of Learning Health Sciences and Family Medicine at Michigan Medicine. As an administrative leader and researcher, Meeks helps inform policy and best practice in the area of disability inclusion for medical education, training, and practice. 

Michigan Minds Interview with Lisa Meeks, PhD

Meeks is the founder and director of the Doctors with Disabilities Initiative, an organization that uses research, education, and the sharing of stories to drive change in perceptions, disability policy, and practices in healthcare education. She expands on the initiative’s four main goals, one of which includes elevating people by sharing the stories of physicians, nurses, and medical professionals. The team also works to foster awareness, increasing the visibility of healthcare providers with disabilities. 

“Our organization addresses the inequity of opportunity and access in health professions education and practice for people with disabilities, and lack of education and awareness on the topic of disability inclusion. We work to combat stereotype bias and assumption through education and mythbusting, and we assist healthcare organizations and associations, policymakers, and leaders through our research, educational outreach, and policy briefs and recommendations.”

LISA MEEKS, PHD

Meeks was recently featured in a Time Magazine article that highlights the push for the medical field to improve its treatment of health professionals with disabilities, particularly as the number of people with Long Covid who need accommodations at work has increased. She explains how Long Covid is affecting healthcare professionals’ ability to stay in their profession, noting the challenges of navigating their employment and contribution as people that may have disabilities. 

“This is a real area that will be growing, and we’ll have an incredible need to inform, especially hospital systems and employers, about how individuals that have Long Covid that are healthcare workers can continue to contribute to the healthcare workforce in meaningful and effective ways.”

Reflecting on what the public can do to advocate for and support healthcare workers with disabilities, Meeks explains that we are an ableist society, and explains why it is important for everyone to understand the concept of ableism. Furthermore, she encourages people to reflect on what ableism is, how it is expressed in everyday navigation and interactions with other people, and to work on becoming actively anti-ableist in order to disrupt the bias that we may have. In addition, Meeks encourages people to share their positive experiences with a healthcare provider with a disability.

“Share that story of how having a healthcare provider with a disability has positively impacted their healthcare, their experience with healthcare, their trust of the healthcare system, and their compliance with healthcare recommendations. All of that is really important for us to know not only as researchers, but as policymakers, and advocates for more individuals with disabilities in the workforce.” 

LISA MEEKS, PHD

As the push for change in perceptions and disability policy evolves, Meek explains that there is a growing opportunity for support and community in this space. Meek has provided the following resources for education, advocacy and assistance for healthcare workers with disabilities:

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