As indicated in Table1, provider accessibility was very high for items 1 - 3. Persons having no or low vision could have difficulty locating a provider's office or using a building elevator without raised signage. Patients who are hard of hearing or deaf would be unable to communicate directly with providers via text telephone to receive important, confidential information. Deaf patients whose primary language is sign may not be able to receive accurate information from the provider without a professional interpreter. Patient education materials could be ineffective if not presented in a format usable by the patient, such as Braille, large print, audiotape or captioned videotape.
Patient preference is the best guide.
Primary care providers are generally well prepared to treat patients with mobility impairments. However, the absence of sensory accommodations at many primary care practices indicates the need for specialized information and resources. The Disability and Health Program has begun to address this need through distribution of resource materials to primary care providers, and training programs.