ACP Calls on Physicians to Break Down Disability Care Barriers

The American College of Physicians (ACP) has released a landmark position paper aimed at dismantling systemic barriers for both patients with disabilities. Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, this paper advocates for a fundamental shift in medical culture.¹

“We need to always remember to focus on our patients needs who have diseases, disabilities, issues, but that doesn’t define the patient, and we would always need to focus back on the needs of the patient so that we can properly address their healthcare needs,” said Jason Goldman, MD, MACP, president of the ACP.

Current estimates suggest between 42.5 million and 61 million Americans live with a disability. Despite decades of legal protections like the Americans with Disabilities Act, these individuals continue to experience significant health inequities, including lower life expectancy and higher rates of chronic illness.²

The ACP emphasizes these disparities are often fueled by ableism—a set of beliefs and practices devalue people with disabilities. To combat this, the ACP encourages primary care physicians to adopt the "social model" of disability, which posits disability results from societal barriers and inaccessible environments rather than individual "deficits".

Specific recommendations for clinical practice include:

• Facility Accessibility: Evaluating and updating medical equipment and communication practices to ensure they are accessible to all.
• Medically Underserved Designation: Supporting the designation of people with disabilities as a "Special Medically Underserved Population" to improve resource allocation.
• Education: Integrating disability-related curricula into medical school and continuing medical education.

The ACP's recommendations call for broad policy changes, including improved data collection and the inclusion of people with disabilities in clinical trials. By addressing both physical and cultural barriers, the medical community can move toward a more inclusive and equitable healthcare system.

Primary care physicians are encouraged to review the full recommendations to ensure their practices provide culturally appropriate, patient-centered care for this diverse population.

For more information about the paper, please watch the above interview where we sat down with Goldman to discuss.

Goldman has no relevant disclosure to report.

References:

1. Cline K, Beachy MW, Carr PW. Improving the health of and access to health care for people with disabilities: a position paper from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. Published online March 10, 2026. doi:10.7326/ANNALS-25-04524
2. American College of Physicians. Fostering support and inclusion for physicians, post-graduate trainees, and medical students with disabilities: a position paper from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. Published online March 10, 2026