ABSTRACT
This chapter includes the movement away from the traditional medical model toward collaborative and integrated care, the various roles and interactions within the physician-patient-family relationship, as important aspects of interfacing with healthcare systems. It addresses for aiding families and other professionals in better understanding the medical perspective. The primary provider for patients with intellectual and development disability (IDD) during childhood is the pediatrician, who typically serves as the gatekeeper for referrals to other medical professionals and specialty care providers. This is largely a by-product of our current health insurance structure, which is addressed in the chapter. It provides an application of how healthcare providers can influence health literacy in families, utilize person's first language, invite advocacy-oriented patient-family communication, and foster self-agency in persons with IDD. The chapter provides a description for patients and family members in order to understand hospitals and medical centers and to be informed prior to a time when their child may become a patient.
