Digital Accessibility and Healthcare Compliance

The growing number of people with disabilities, driven by an aging population, increases the demand for healthcare services. With tightening accessibility legislation and growing reliance on digital tools to provide healthcare programs and services, accessibility program managers and stakeholders face new challenges in creating and supporting accessible digital experiences for both patients and employees.

Several key U.S. regulations mandate that healthcare organizations make their digital content and services accessible to and usable by people with disabilities. Let’s take a closer look at the most important ones:

ACA Section 1557:

This section of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) prohibits discrimination based on disability, among other characteristics. It requires healthcare providers that receive federal funding to ensure their digital services are accessible to people with disabilities.

Learn more about ACA Section 1557 in our comprehensive guide. 

ADA Title III:

Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires places of public accommodation to be accessible to people with disabilities. This includes healthcare facilities and covers both physical and digital spaces, ensuring everyone can access services and information.

Learn more about ADA Title II, Title III, and other important accessibility compliance regulations.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act:

Section 504 protects people with disabilities from discrimination when accessing programs or activities provided by federal agencies or that receive federal funding. This means that healthcare organizations that receive federal funding must ensure healthcare programs and services must be accessible to people with disabilities. Accessibility requirements cover both physical and digital healthcare environments. This means your clinics, digital tools, content, and interactions must be accessible to people with disabilities.

Learn more about Section 504 Standards and Compliance.

European Accessibility Act (EAA):

Organizations in the U.S. that manufacture certain computing or communications devices or provide digital content or services used to support healthcare services in the EU may need to pay attention to the European Accessibility Act (EAA).

The EAA requires accessibility in certain consumer-facing digital devices and services, such as self-service terminals, websites, mobile apps, and e-communication systems. Although the EAA does not specifically include healthcare amongst the services covered by the legislation, any e-commerce transaction associated with providing or receiving healthcare services may fall under the EAA’s requirements.

To learn more, download our comprehensive EAA guide, which covers everything you need to know about meeting EAA’s requirements. For kiosk-specific compliance, explore our EAA Self-Service Kiosk Compliance Fact Sheet, designed to help you meet accessibility standards for self-service devices.

These laws ensure people with disabilities have equal access to healthcare services and information. Noncompliance can lead to legal penalties and limit access to healthcare for people who rely on assistive technologies.

Digital accessibility in healthcare presents unique challenges due to the intersection of privacy, accessibility, and patient autonomy. Unlike other industries, healthcare accessibility must prioritize maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive health information while ensuring that all patients can independently access critical services and programs.

1. Balancing Privacy and Accessibility: Healthcare organizations must design systems that protect patient privacy while allowing patients to access services independently. Features like screen readers, tactile navigation devices, and supporting headphones for private listening all enable private interactions with self-service kiosks and patient portals, preserving both confidentiality and autonomy.
2. Minimizing Disclosure of Disability: Patients with disabilities should not need to disclose their disability status to staff or third parties to use digital tools. Thoughtful and inclusive design reduces the need for unnecessary disclosure, ensuring equal and independent access without compromising privacy or dignity.
3. Critical Nature of Health Information: In healthcare, accessibility directly impacts well-being. Access to medical records, test results, and health information and services can influence treatment outcomes and patient safety. Accessible and private systems are not just compliance requirements but essential to delivering quality care.

The Stakes Are Higher in Healthcare Accessibility

Failing to comply with accessibility requirements in healthcare could have serious consequences.

Healthcare accessibility isn’t just a legal requirement — it’s a lifeline. It helps to ensure that everyone can access the care they need, especially people with disabilities and older adults, who are already at higher risk of health issues – and of exclusion from healthcare programs and services.

By prioritizing digital accessibility, your organization empowers every patient to get the information necessary to make informed health decisions and receive timely, effective care. This commitment is vital for creating equitable healthcare experiences for all.

Waiting until a lawsuit or complaint forces you to act is not the right approach. Now is the time to be proactive in ensuring your organization’s digital systems, websites, and services meet accessibility requirements.

Our expert team will guide you through the process of understanding current accessibility risks and help you with an achievable strategy for improving accessibility across all your digital platforms. We’ll help you ensure your healthcare digital landscape is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities.

Don’t wait — act now to protect your organization and provide everyone equal access to healthcare services.

Reach out to learn how we can support your accessibility goals and ensure your digital patient experiences are inclusive for all, regardless of ability.