There’s a lot of misunderstanding about individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and that includes in hospitals. Physicians receive little to no training on how to manage patients with IDD, and administrators may feel their staff don’t encounter these patients frequently enough to merit training. Yet, being unfamiliar with this population can carry a stiff price, as patients with IDD are more likely to come to the emergency department, have longer hospital stays, and be readmitted. As well, rates of diagnosed disabilities like autism are rising, and more patients with IDD are treated in community hospital settings than in the past. Most of all, learning to treat patients who are differently abled is the ethical thing to do. This story looks at hospitals that have taken concrete steps to improve care of the patient population with IDD, and outlines what physicians can do at their own hospitals to ensure these patients are cared for respectfully and appropriately
