[NFBF-Tampa] Results of Survey concerning Service Animals in Health Care

Thu Sep 7 18:37:21 UTC 2023

September 7, 2023

Please circulate the following message as widely as appropriate.

The results of the first ever survey of service animal handlers' experiences
accessing health care are in! We want to thank each of the 198 service
animal handlers who shared their experiences in an effort to assess the
pervasiveness of the problems we face accessing health care. Our hope is
that we will now be able to solicit the support we need to make a
significant impact on the issue soon!

                The National Council on Disability (NCD) is creating a
national curriculum focusing upon cultural competency concerning disability
in the health care industry. Advocates for Service Animal Partners (ASAP) is
on the forefront of advocacy efforts around service animals in health care
settings. As the result of our expertise, we were asked to provide input to
NCD concerning the experiences of service animal handlers as it pertains to
accessing health care. Health care is one of the industries in which service
animal handlers face significant access problems and calls to the ASAP
hotline (855-ASAP211 OR 855-272-7211) seem to support this belief. Unable to
find the data we needed elsewhere, Advocates for Service Animal Partners
created and disseminated its own survey of service animal handlers'
experiences accessing health care. For those of us who use service dogs, the
results are not surprising. It is our hope that those with the resources to
make a difference on this issue will be shocked by the results and choose to
support our initiatives concerning equal access to health care services. 

                Advocates for Service Animal Partners created a short Six
question survey, along with a few demographic questions, and asked service
animal handlers to share their experiences accessing health care. Here is a
brief synopsis of the raw data we collected. An academic  researcher has
volunteered to analyze our data and give us a clearer picture of the
results.

                The survey was conducted using a Google forms document.
Invitations were circulated throughout our network and recipients were
invited to forward the invitation on. During the period of July 5 - August 7
we received a total of 198 unique respondents. Of these respondents, 73.7%
had experienced a health care access issue due to the presence of their
service dog. Our survey also revealed two interesting data points we are
investigating. Of the survey responses, we found an interesting relationship
between the amount of time a respondent has used a service animal and the
likelihood they would experience an access issue. There are statistical
formulae to evaluate relationships of  Correlations that our researcher will
use to analyze that relationship. 

                Our survey also revealed other valuable data we can use to
target our advocacy efforts. Among those who experienced discrimination in a
health care setting, 50% of those incidents occurred at a private health
care practice. Hospitals, other than emergency rooms accounted for 33.8% of
incidents, and 21.7% occurred in an emergency department. 69% of survey
respondents reported facing discrimination as a patient while 26.8 were as a
visitor 

                How these instances of discrimination were handled also
provided some interesting results. Of the survey participants who faced
discrimination in a health care setting, 29.8 took no action. Among those
who took some sort of action, 31.8 filed a complaint with the  health care
facility, 12% filed a complaint with the United States Department of
Justice, while 9% filed a complaint with a state agency. None of our
respondents filed a complaint with law enforcement but 15% shared their
discrimination experiences on social media. 

We also asked respondents to offer open comments. Here is a small sample of
those comments:

"When I had my Multiple Sleep Latency Test at the hospital sleep lab, they
said I couldn't bring my service dog because they'd have to ask everyone on
the floor if it was okay."

"There are a few situations where I am terrified to go somewhere for fear of
an access challenge. Top on my list is a doctor's office. I make sure never
to go to new doctor appointments alone, to have someone with me who can help
me advocate should they deny me access. It makes it difficult for me to
access care because sometimes I can't even make an appointment I'm so
worried about an access challenge!"

                "I was separated from my service dog. She had to stay with a
staff member outside the exam room. I was sent a bill with a charge for
watching my service dog." 

                "I have had my service dog taken away from me by security
when I went to the ER for a broken arm. Security wouldn't give her back
until I showed them an ID or "papers" for her. Fortunately I had made my SD
an "ID" on my computer with contact info for just in case she was lost (it
was in her vest pocket) so in desperation I showed the ID. I did complain to
management about it afterwards and try to educate."

                "access delayed is access denied. the administrative
compliant process (DOJ/state level disability or human rights agencies)
rarely take on a service dog case - ADA has no teeth and we are left to fend
for ourselves."

            "I have never once had an ambulance take my service dog with me
without a MAJOR fight, delaying care for me. (Even when I'm very clearly
capable of controlling him despite my medical issue, and he's in no way
interfering with them treating me)."

            These are just a few of the many comments we have received, most
of which follow a similar strain. We did find that there were some who did
not fully understand their responsibilities as a service animal handler,
such as concern they could not be accompanied by a their service dog during
an imaging procedure and another that the staff required they be responsible
for relieving their dog themselves. . 

The raw data we gathered seems to support the need for better education in
the health care industry and such education is a primary focus of Advocates
for Service Animal Partners. In addition to working with NCD on their health
care initiative, ASAP is also working with a major medical university to
develop and create a national continuing education program for the health
care industry. Creating these beneficial partnerships has been the mission
of ASAP since its inception. It is exciting to witness our efforts making a
difference.

If you received this message as a forward and would like to receive
information directly from Advocates for Service Animal Partners, please
consider completing a contact form on our website

https://ServiceAnimals.info 

and click on "Become a Partner". While On our site, please consider
supporting our work by making a recurring or one-time donation. You can make
a tax-deductible contribution by going to

ServiceAnimals.info/SupportUs.html

Thank you for your interest and support of our mission!

With warm regards,

Marion Gwizdala

President/CEO

Marion Gwizdala, President/CEO

(He/His/Him)

Advocates for Service Animal Partners Inc. (ASAP)

Office: 386-ASAP411 (386-272-7411)

Hotline: 855-ASAP211 (855-272-7211)

Advocacy411 at gmail.com <mailto:Advocacy411 at gmail.com> 

ServiceAnimals.info

Facebook.com/asap411/

"Forward together!"

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