Jackson nurse developed bond with child on autism spectrum. That led to award for hospital.

Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, as the days blur together and exhaustion lingers over hospital workers, Jackson Health System is keeping its commitment to better serve autism patients and their families.

In March, doctors and staff at the five Uhealth Jackson Urgent Care centers throughout Miami-Dade County completed training to earn an “autism friendly” designation from the University of Miami-NOVA Southeastern University Center for Autism & Related Disabilities (UM-NSU CARD), becoming the first network of urgent care centers in Florida to receive the distinction.

“We understand how overwhelming it can be for patients with autism and related disabilities to seek care in an unfamiliar medical environment,” said Carlos A. Migoya, president and CEO of Jackson Health System.

“Our goal is to always be inclusive and welcoming to everyone — and be a resource to the autism community. We are so proud of the dedication and leadership our staff has demonstrated to make sure this population receives top quality care in a safe and comfortable environment.”

The training provided a deeper understanding about autism spectrum disorder, an umbrella term for a group of complex developmental disorders that affect social interaction, communication and behavior, including how to recognize symptoms and treatment options.

About 1 in 54 children have been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) according to estimates from CDC’s Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network. The condition is four times more prevalent in boys than girls, according to the CDC.

All the urgent care centers now have a designated sensory-friendly exam room with soft music, dimmed lighting, and a bean-bag chair to help patients feel more calm. They also have iPads equipped with programs recommended by UM-NSU CARD and offer sensory kits with tactical toys and activities that patients can take home.

“The training was very broad and gave staff a heightened awareness and understanding about autism to better diagnose and treat individuals with special needs,” said Dr. Robert E. Schwartz, a family physician and head of Jackson’s urgent care centers.

Jackson began working with CARD staff late last year to earn the designation. The timing couldn’t have been better. With the threat of coronavirus, autism patients are also being drawn to hospitals and urgent care centers.

“We couldn’t have known when we started this back in December how important it would become,” said Dr. Michael Alessandri, UM-NSU CARD’s executive director. “To know that we have five urgent cares ready to serve autism patients and their families is a real gift.”

Funded by the Florida Department of Education, the CARD program has seven offices in the state and provides free services for children and adults with autism or related disabilities and their families. Its autism-friendly designation program works to create safe spaces for families affected by autism within the community, from museums to dental facilities and urgent care centers.

“Families often feel isolated from society,” Alessandri said. “The ultimate goal is to effect change in society, to create opportunities for families to feel safe wherever they go.”

Medical examinations are particularly challenging scenarios for persons on the spectrum, who often experience an overreaction to stimulation in one or more of the five senses.

Osnardo “Ozzie” Drago had firsthand experience with that before even becoming a nurse. He’s always had a special bond with his cousin’s son, Georgie, who is on the autism spectrum.

Jackson sought the autism-friendly designation after receiving a letter from Anthony Vargas about a special bond that developed between his aggressive, non-verbal autistic son, Jason, and Drago at Jackson’s Country Walk urgent care location.

Before meeting Drago, Jason, who was 13 at the time, had never had his vitals taken. Drago gave him coffee stirrers and gloves to play with during the examination and won his trust.

“I felt a connection to Jason immediately,” Drago said. “With non-verbal patients like Jason, sometimes healthcare workers just give up and ignore them and they feel that.”

Drago is now working at the North Dade urgent care location, but he stays in touch with Jason’s father.

He was recently honored with The DAISY Award for his compassionate care.

“It was the greatest experience of my career,” Drago said.

This story was originally published July 26, 2020 at 6:00 AM.