Wir überwinden Grenzen

May 5 is the European Day of Action for Equality for People with Disabilities / Medical Center - University of Freiburg is committed to greater inclusion of patients and employees

People with disabilities still encounter barriers in everyday and working life, whether they are physical or structural in nature. The Medical Center - University of Freiburg has set itself the task of reducing these barriers in various areas. "Breaking down barriers, offering perspectives, sharing knowledge: That is the goal of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg when dealing with people with disabilities or limitations. We have been pursuing this path for many years and will continue to do so in the future," says Anja Simon, Commercial Director of the Medical Center - University of Freiburg.

Eye and ENT Clinic - new guidance system makes it easier to find your way around the building

The patient areas at the University Medical Center are largely barrier-free. This is not always easy due to the sometimes old building fabric. This makes it all the more important to ensure that renovations and conversions are designed to be barrier-free. For example, the completely renovated entrance area of the eye and ENT clinic was reopened at the end of last year. Textured strips on the floor, so-called tactile guidance systems, make it easier for people with visual impairments to enter and lead directly to the information point. High-contrast markings on the doors make them easier to see. For people with hearing aids, the registration areas in the building have been equipped with radio transmitters that enable direct transmission and therefore significantly improved speech intelligibility. Self-help groups were already involved in the planning and construction phase in order to best meet the needs of those affected. "With the eye bus, we also offer ophthalmological and socio-medical support to people with visual impairments outside the hospital," says Prof. Dr. Thomas Reinhard, Medical Director of the Eye Center - University of Freiburg.

Quota overfulfilled

As a maximum care provider and the largest employer in the region, the Medical Center - University of Freiburg is very aware of its responsibility to offer people with disabilities job prospects. The fact that the University Medical Center exceeded the statutory quota in 2020 by six percent shows that it is doing this well. All of these people are employed directly at the hospital and are not - as is often the case - assigned to the quota via external workshops or specialized companies. "Due to the wide variety of professions and activities at the Medical Center, we can find a suitable job for many people with disabilities," says Andrea Lackenberger, representative for severely disabled people at the Medical Center - University of Freiburg.

Medical topics in simple language

Patients can only make an informed decision if they understand how treatment works and what the opportunities and risks are. In order to provide people with learning and reading difficulties with medical information, the University Medical Center regularly publishes medical articles in plain language in its online and print publications. This is characterized, among other things, by short, clearly structured sentences and the absence of foreign and technical terms. As a result, a lot of medical information is gradually being prepared in simple language.