Healthcare Accessibility: Why Inclusive Digital Experiences Saves Lives 

The Critical Need for Accessibility in Healthcare 

26% of U.S. adults live with a disability, yet a major section of healthcare portals fail basic WCAG standards. From inaccessible patient portals to telehealth apps without captions, these barriers delay care and violate laws like the ADA, Section 508, and HIPAA. 

DigitalA11Y helps hospitals, clinics, and healthtech companies remove accessibility barriers—ensuring equitable care while reducing legal risks. 

By the Numbers: Healthcare Accessibility Stats 

  • 89% of patients with disabilities encounter barriers when booking appointments online. 
  • 43% of screen reader users cannot access their digital lab results. 
  • Top 5 U.S. health systems faced ADA lawsuits in 2023 over inaccessible portals. 
  • Telehealth adoption drops by 35% among patients with hearing/vision impairments when accessibility isn’t prioritized. 

How DigitalA11Y Has Transformed Healthcare Clients 

1. Patient Portal Overhaul for a Major Hospital Chain 

  • Issues Found: 
    • Inaccessible PDF discharge instructions (untagged, no OCR). 
    • Broken keyboard navigation in appointment scheduling. 
  • Our Fix: 
    • Redesigned portal with screen-reader-compatible forms and video tutorials with ASL. 
  • Result: 40% fewer patient support calls about portal access. 

2. Telehealth App Compliance for a Startup 

  • Audit Revealed:
    • No captions/live transcripts for deaf users. 
    • Color contrast ratios below WCAG standards. 
  • Our Solution: 
    • Implemented real-time captioning and high-contrast mode. 
  • Result: Achieved WCAG 2.2 AA and expanded Medicaid contract eligibility. 

3. Training for 500+ Hospital Staff 

  • Taught doctors, nurses, and IT teams to: 
    • Create accessible PDF patient education materials. 
    • Design inclusive intake forms. 

Top Digital Accessibility Gaps in Healthcare 

  • Patient Portals – Unlabeled form fields, timeout errors without warnings. 
  • Telehealth Apps – No keyboard navigation, missing captions/SDL. 
  • Medical PDFs – Scanned documents unusable with screen readers. 
  • Pharmacy Systems – Dose instructions inaccessible on mobile. 
  • Emergency Alerts – Lack of multisensory notifications (visual + audio). 

Why Healthcare Providers Choose DigitalA11Y 

  • HIPAA-Compliant Audits – We secure PHI while testing. 
  • Clinical Workflow Expertise – We optimize EHRs (Epic, Cerner), portals, and apps. 
  • End-to-End Support – From VPATs to staff training. 
  • Legal Protection – Mitigate ADA/FHA lawsuits. 

Make Healthcare Accessible to All!

From patient portals to telehealth, we’ll help you deliver care without barriers.

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