Wednesday, November 2, 2005
"JUSTICE
DEPARTMENT ENSURES GREATER ACCESS TO MEDICAL SERVICES FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES AT WASHINGTON HOSPITAL
CENTER AND AT CALIFORNIA RADIOLOGY CENTERS"
WASHINGTON, DC -
The Justice Department today announced its most comprehensive settlement agreements ever under the Americans with Disabilities
Act (ADA) concerning access to medical services for all persons with disabilities. The agreements with Washington Hospital
Center and Valley Radiologists Medical Group ensure access to medical equipment, adjustable height beds, and information and
communications. The settlements are part of the Department's initiative to improve access to health care services and
medical equipment for individuals with disabilities.
"Accessibility in health care is vital
for all Americans, and securing such access for individuals with disabilities helps meet the promise of the ADA," said
Bradley J. Schlozman, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division. "We applaud these healthcare facilities
for working with us to reach a successful resolution."
The agreement with Washington Hospital
Center resolves a lawsuit initiated by the Equal Rights Center, four individuals who use wheelchairs, and a Justice Department
investigation of a complaint filed by ERC and the same individuals. The plaintiffs alleged that the hospital failed to provide
accessible inpatient rooms and bathrooms, failed to provide adequate assistance with eating, drinking, and toileting when
necessary, and provided unequal care because of inaccessible medical equipment.
Under the terms
of the settlement, Washington Hospital Center has agreed to: renovate patient bedrooms to create a minimum of 35 ADA accessible
patient rooms; survey existing hospital and patient care facilities and equipment for compliance with ADA standards; develop
and implement a barrier removal plan; purchase accessible equipment, including patient beds and examination tables; review
hospital policies and train staff to address the needs of individuals with disabilities; and appoint an ADA officer to oversee
implementation of the agreement.
The Department also announced an agreement with Valley Radiologists
Medical Group, Inc., a company that provides radiologic imaging services in eight locations in Northern California. This is
the Department's first agreement specifically to address access to radiologic equipment.
The
ADA prohibits discrimination by public accommodations on the basis of disability, including the denial by medical facilities
of equal medical services to individuals with disabilities. Those interested in finding out more about these agreements or
seeking information about and how to comply with the ADA can call the Justice Department's toll-free ADA Information Line
at (800) 514-0301 or (800) 514-0383 (TDD), or access its ADA website at http://www.ada.gov.
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