#Golisano Institute #Ableism #NIH Grant

Addressing Ableism in Healthcare: A New Initiative from Golisano Institute

The Golisano Institute for Developmental Disability Nursing, part of St. John Fisher University, has partnered with RUSH University College of Nursing and the University of Minnesota Institute on Community Integration to tackle a pressing issue in healthcare: ableism and its impact on diagnostic practices for individuals with disabilities.

This collaboration recently secured a significant grant from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This funding marks a critical milestone as it represents the first NIH grant awarded to St. John Fisher University. The initiative aims to understand how ableism—discrimination and societal biases against people with disabilities—exacerbates health disparities.

Understanding Diagnostic Overshadowing

One of the critical areas of focus will be diagnostic overshadowing, a phenomenon where healthcare providers may disregard actual symptoms experienced by a patient, incorrectly attributing them to existing disabilities. This often leads to misdiagnosis and inappropriate treatment, resulting in serious consequences for patients, including increased discomfort and extended hospital stays.

Dr. Holly Brown, the executive director of the Golisano Institute, emphasizes that diagnostic overshadowing stems from implicit biases and ableism, directly affecting patient outcomes. She states, “We know that diagnostic overshadowing is a direct result of ableism, and can have devastating consequences for patients, including increased pain and intensified mental health issues.”

The research program titled End Diagnostic Overshadowing: Addressing Ableism in Diagnoses aims to identify and analyze the mechanisms that contribute to this issue. By partnering with local healthcare systems, including Erie County Medical Center and Rochester Regional Health, the initiative seeks to conduct comprehensive data assessments and reviews. The process will involve examining current billing practices through Current Procedural Technology (CPT) codes and conducting staff interviews to uncover underlying themes related to diagnostic overshadowing.

A Collective Impact Approach

The research will utilize a Collective Impact Model. This innovative framework will involve input from a diverse array of stakeholders, including individuals with disabilities, healthcare professionals, health systems, and policymakers. Dr. Sarah Ailey, the principal investigator on the grant from RUSH University, highlights the value of including multiple perspectives in this research, stating,