As healthcare organizations strive to increase diversity among their leaders, persons with disabilities are still overlooked in executive suites, the American College of Healthcare Executives reports in a study with the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, The Prevalence and Impact of Disability Among Healthcare Executives. In a survey of 832 ACHE affiliates, 7.6% of respondents reported some sort of disability. Just 21% said that their disability kept them from performing fully at work, compared with the remaining 79%, who reported that their job was not affected. Yet, seven respondents felt they had experienced job discrimination because of their disability, three reported being turned down for a promotion, and three said they had been denied a workplace accommodation. Some of the disabled respondents said they attempted to hide their disabilities to obtain or hold positions, and others said co-workers did not take their disability seriously.
With nearly 30% of respondents agreeing that healthcare executives should develop a greater understanding of people with disabilities, ACHE notes four main actions healthcare organizations can take: improve all affiliates’ understanding of persons with disabilities; develop ways to meet the needs of persons with disabilities; recruit persons with disabilities into the profession and provide them with support; and advocate for reform.
