HealthAlliance, Hudson Valley, Broadway Campus Emergency Department, New York – is launching a new program to provide autism friendly services to individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) when attending the emergency department.
HealthAlliance Emergency Department have initiated a special training program for all medics, nursing staff and hospital personnel including security.
The article in News Medical states that training will include input from the regional Emergency Medical Service providers and Mobile Life Support Services. This is to ensure continuity of care beginning with the 911 response.
The programme is being overseen by Scott Serbin, Director of Education and Research at Emergency Medical Associates (EMA), Suzanne de Beaumont, Assistant Executive Director at the Resource Center for Accessible Living, Inc. and board member of the Autism Society-Hudson Valley.
Suzanne de Beaumont is quoted in News Medical as saying:
“The autism community in the Hudson Valley is excited to have an ‘autism-friendly’ Emergency Department. We congratulate the HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley for recognizing the necessity of the Emergency Department to approach its services from the perspective of the patient.”
The department now have 5 new sensory boxes and 2 iPads to help with communication.
Fareed Nabiel Fareed, M.D. Director of the Emergency Department at HealthAlliance of the Hudson Valley said in the article:
“Communication with ASD patients is being facilitated via iPad devices, donated by EMA, which have special visual and auditory icons to help facilitate dialogue between the staff and patient during a medical screening for emergency treatment.”
Communication includes the reason for the visit, what will happen during the procedure and rating pain and discomfort levels.
The original article in News Medical can be read here