The criticality of reasonable accommodations: A scoping review revealing gaps in care for patients with blindness and low vision

Background

Health and healthcare disparities for surgical patients with blindness and low vision (pBLV) stem from inaccessible healthcare systems that lack universal design principles or, at a minimum, reasonable accommodations (RA).

Objectives

We aimed to identify barriers to developing and implementing RAs in the surgical setting and provide a review of best practices for providing RAs.

Methods

We conducted a search of PubMed for evidence of reasonable accommodations, or lack thereof, in the surgical setting. Articles related to gaps and barriers to providing RAs for pBLV or best practices for supporting RAs were reviewed for the study.

Results

Barriers to the implementation of reasonable accommodations, and, accordingly, best practices for achieving equity for pBLV, relate to policies and systems, staff knowledge and attitudes, and materials and technology.

Conclusions

These inequities for pBLV require comprehensive frameworks that offer, maintain, and support education about disability disparities and RAs in the surgical field. Providing RAs for surgical pBLV, and all patients with disabilities is an important and impactful step towards creating a more equitable and anti-ableist health system.