Support for people with vision or hearing impairment

If you have hearing difficulties, you can request a button at the central reception desk to help others communicate with you more easily.

For information about a sign language interpreter, please contact the patient support service.
 

If you are blind or visually impaired, our volunteers are available to assist you. Just let the reception know if you would like support.

For safety and hygiene reasons, animals are not permitted in the hospital, but assistance and guide dogs are allowed in specific situations.

Assistance dogs are permitted in:

• The cafeteria and staff restaurant
• Shops in the main entrance hall
• Consultation areas (in the corridors and public spaces)
• Your single-patient room
• The emergency department

Assistance dogs are not permitted in:

• Intensive care units: ICU, medium care, and neonatology
• Isolation rooms and wards for patients with weakened immune systems: haematology, oncology, transplant units, burn unit, etc.
• Areas where major treatments and procedures take place

Guidelines for assistance dogs
To ensure a smooth and safe visit to the hospital, please follow these guidelines for assistance dogs:

• Assistance dogs must wear a recognisable vest.
• They must always be on a leash and under supervision, and cannot roam freely.
• You may be asked to show the dog's certification, though UZA staff are not required to interact with the dog.
• The handler is fully responsible for the dog’s behaviour.
• Assistance dogs are not permitted on beds or chairs.

Attending consultations (including emergencies)
Your assistance dog is welcome to accompany you to consultations. Whenever possible, try to schedule your consultation as the last appointment of the day. With your doctor's consent, the dog can join you in the consultation room. For hygiene reasons, the dog cannot be present during certain procedures, and in these cases, a family member or acquaintance must look after the dog.

Let us know in advance
If you plan to bring an assistance dog to the hospital, please let us know a few days in advance by contacting the reception or the patient support service at 03 821 37 00. This helps us ensure that a staff member will be available to assist you.