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The American Medical Association (AMA) has announced a collaboration with the University of Colorado Anschutz on the Caring for People with Disabilities Series, a new educational video series designed to help physicians and medical students deliver high-quality, patient-centered care for people with disabilities.
CU Anschutz faculty members Alicia Wong, MD, MA, MPH, Assistant Professor in the Department of Family Medicine, and Eleanor Comfort, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine-Internal Medicine, spearheaded the development of the series. Drs. Wong and Comfort partnered with the AMA’s Center for Optimal Health Outcomes to create a free, virtual curriculum focused on the clinical care of people with disabilities.
They were joined by a multidisciplinary group of CU Anschutz faculty and staff representing more than a dozen clinical specialties, bringing a broad range of perspectives and expertise to the development of the series.
The AMA is the largest and only national association that convenes more than 190 state and specialty medical societies and other key health care stakeholders to advocate for patient care. Through its Center for Optimal Health Outcomes, the AMA advances physician empowerment, transforms medical education, fosters collaborative, community-centered solutions, and promotes data-driven research to improve health outcomes.
Addressing the Gap in Disability Health Care
Dr. Wong emphasized the need for expanded education and training in disability care and hopes the series will benefit physicians and learners at all levels.
“There is a well-documented gap in the quality of, and access to, health care for people with disabilities. Part of that gap is thought to be due to a lack of exposure to disability‑focused clinical education among health professionals,” Wong said. “This series was created to introduce foundational concepts to providers at every level of training. We included content from faculty across multiple specialties and areas of expertise to provide as broad an overview as possible. Partnering with the AMA allowed us to offer free CME for each module, which I hope will give people the opportunity and time to complete the entire series.”
Debut of the Video Series
The Caring for People with Disabilities Series is now live, with the first five modules available on AMA Ed Hub, the AMA’s online learning platform. The series offers free continuing medical education (CME) credit, with modules under 30 minutes each and featuring searchable transcripts.
The collaboration provides health care professionals with practical guidance, real-world strategies, and evidence based tools to better meet the needs of patients with diverse disabilities. By addressing common barriers in clinical practice, the AMA and CU Anschutz aim to advance accessible, inclusive care and improve health outcomes for all patients, including those with physical, sensory, and cognitive disabilities.
The following CU Anschutz faculty and staff contributed content to the series. (Names listed alphabetically by last name):
- Amanda Appel (Pediatrics–Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation)
- Andrea Bischoff (Colorectal Surgery)
- Eleanor Comfort (Medicine–Pediatrics)
- Holly Darnell (ADA Coordinator, UCHealth)
- Peter Dunbar (Pulmonology)
- Emily Gorell (Dermatology)
- Natalie Hamilton (Family Medicine)
- Michael Puente (Ophthalmology)
- Jessi Solomon Sanders (Neurology)
- Cristina Sarmiento (Pediatrics–Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation)
- Suzanne Somerset (Dental Medicine)
- Alicia Wong (Family Medicine)
- Daniel Wood (Urology)
Watch the video series on AMA Ed Hub.
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