ADA Accessibility Healthcare is the Law

Health is a basic human right. This means that everyone should be able to get the healthcare they require, when and where they need it, and without financial hardship. Accessibility in healthcare is not only ethically important, but it’s the law. While many people in the United States struggle to get access to quality healthcare, the situation becomes more complicated for people with disabilities who are unable to interact with websites and other online platforms in the way that most people do.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act require healthcare providers to provide full and equal access to their healthcare services and facilities to people with disabilities. Title II of the ADA applies to public hospitals, clinics, and healthcare services operated by state and local governments.

Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act established nondiscrimination rules that healthcare providers must follow, and they apply to recipients of federal financial assistance, whereas Title III applies to privately owned and operated healthcare facilities.

In addition to the ADA and Sections 504 and 508, which address ADA Accessibility Healthcare

, Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act requires healthcare providers to make their information and communications technology (ICT) accessible to people with disabilities. As a result, healthcare digital accessibility is statutory, and websites, web applications, mobile applications, other software, and hardware that are part of the healthcare ICT ecosystem, must meet the requirements for digital accessibility in healthcare.

Digital Accessibility in Healthcare

According to research published in July 2018, 93 million Americans seek health and medical advice online every day. 93% of these looked for information about specific illnesses or conditions, while 55% looked for information before visiting a healthcare provider.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many patients prefer online healthcare to visiting a healthcare practitioner's office. Access to medical care is also an issue for minorities and those living outside of urban areas. These circumstances have given rise to the concepts of telehealth and telemedicine, which cover a wide range of medical services delivered via various media such as email, phone, and/or the Internet, as well as increased Internet searches for terms such as "online doctor," "concierge doctor," "MD live," "virtual doctor," "online medical services," and "online healthcare."

Many behavioral issues, such as depression, stress and anxiety, grief counseling, and addiction, are increasingly being treated online. Dermatologists and other practitioners are also using the internet to evaluate conditions such as rashes, moles, acne, and skin infections. As technology advances, so will online medical services and the ADA requirements for healthcare digital accessibility.

In fact, we can now consult with and be treated by a healthcare practitioner 24 hours a day, seven days a week. According to reports, more than 80% of physicians use smartphones and medical apps that can improve patient self-monitoring by sending data directly to the physician. More health information will be relayed directly to the online physician who will prescribe via the same channels as mobile devices and apps become more personalized and secure. These trends will continue to grow as more people look for new ways to access healthcare without having to relocate. Each growth frontier will present unique healthcare digital accessibility issues that healthcare providers must be constantly aware of in order to remain ADA compliant.

Risks such as website accessibility lawsuits from legal firms and advocacy groups, penalties for ADA noncompliance, loss of federal funding, damage to the healthcare provider's reputation, a decrease in patient flow to the facility, and so on may result for healthcare providers who have digital services, including websites that are inaccessible to people with disabilities.

Tips to Make Your Healthcare Services Digitally Accessible

Given that providing online-based healthcare services is becoming more common, healthcare providers will be in the best position to consider proactively ensuring digital accessibility in the healthcare that they provide. The following pointers will assist you in ensuring healthcare digital accessibility for your services:

1. To be legally compliant, follow the established guidelines and standards.
2. Consider people with disabilities when designing your website.
3. Integrate assistive technologies, augmentative and alternative communication devices, and other communication devices into your online resources.
4. Provide a variety of content formats so that your online resources can be accessed in a variety of ways, such as videos, images, text, audio descriptions, and so on.
5. Obtain testing assistance from professionals and people with disabilities.