Tenet settles, agrees to access for disabled
Tenet Healthcare Corp. in Miami recently announced it has reached agreement on a nationwide plan to improve access for the disabled at all Tenet acute-care hospitals and related facilities across the country. The court-approved agreement concludes a class-action lawsuit filed by Access Now, an activist group for the disabled, against Tenet in November 1997 that sought to assure Tenet’s compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. In collaboration with Access Now, Tenet will develop individual compliance plans for 15-20 of its facilities each year. Each plan will be submitted for approval to U.S. District Court Judge Alan S. Gold in Miami.
All improvements will be designed to help provide equal access to Tenet facilities for those with hearing, vision, and mobility impairments. Work at all facilities is scheduled to be completed in seven to 10 years. Both parties called the settlement a positive, forward-looking outcome.
In a prepared statement, Thomas B. Mackey, COO in Tenet’s office of the president, said, "Tenet voluntarily agreed to do this because improved access for the disabled is an essential part of the commitment we have made to provide quality care and service to all patients and their families. We see this as part of our responsibility as a leader in bringing change and improvement to the health care delivery system."
Edward Resnick, president of Access Now, commended Tenet on its sensitivity to the medical needs of the disabled community. "Tenet has become a model on which others can base their own efforts to extend accessible care to millions of disabled Americans. Together, we are doing good for many people," Resnick says.
At a court hearing, Gold also praised the agreement. "I think you have achieved something here that is unique and precedential for those who are looking to deal with these types of issues in the future, and I have to assume that will occur fairly often," he said.
You have reached your article limit for the month. Subscribe now to access this article plus other member-only content.
- Award-winning Medical Content
- Latest Advances & Development in Medicine
- Unbiased Content