In this episode, Dr. Kristi Kirschner, a physician, educator, and leader in disability-inclusive healthcare, whose career began the same year as the Americans with Disabilities Act became law shares that even more than 30 years later, the promise of that moment still feels unfulfilled. Healthcare continues to lag behind other systems in accessibility and widespread ableism prevents patients from receiving the care they deserve.

Dr. Kirschner shares a bold vision for change rooted in education, partnership, and reimagining the role of healthcare itself. From training the next generation of clinicians to building a lifespan disability clinic which elevates the voices of people with lived experience, this episode explores what it takes to move from compliance to true inclusion. The University of Illinois Health Lifespan Disability Clinic, offers comprehensive, disability-inclusive primary care for both children and adults with a wide range of physical, intellectual, and developmental disabilities, including complex, multifaceted conditions.

Listen to witness the power of reframing because disability is not a limitation, it is a lens for innovation, creativity, and a more humane, interconnected world. This is a conversation about dignity, design, and the future of care, and why getting it right matters for all of us.

Learn more about the UI Health Lifespan Disability Clinic https://hospital.uillinois.edu/primary-and-specialty-care/disability-inclusive-care

Explore their website to access their resources: https://adih.uic.edu/

• (00:00:03) - Coming soon: Disability in the World
• (00:00:48) - Advocates in Action: Equity and Inclusion in Healthcare
• (00:07:11) - The role of health professionals with disabilities
• (00:16:18) - The Disability Inclusive Health Care
• (00:24:39) - Living with Disabilities in 2026
• (00:34:29) - Advocates in Action: Week 3