Healthcare & Life Sciences

Eliminate accessibility barriers across patient-facing digital systems

VPAT documentation, WCAG audits, and remediation for patient portals, telehealth platforms, EHR systems, medical forms, and billing interfaces. Accessibility failures restrict access to care and create regulatory exposure.

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Trusted by teams across regulated and public-sector environments

Why healthcare & life sciences can't ignore digital accessibility

Skyrocketing Lawsuit Volume

Digital accessibility lawsuits rise over 30% year-over-year, and healthcare is one of the most targeted industries. Healthcare facilities are 'places of public accommodation' under ADA Title III — making them prime litigation targets.

Section 1557 Enforcement

Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act requires healthcare organizations to make ICT accessible. Enforcement runs through the HHS Office for Civil Rights, and penalties can include loss of federal financial assistance.

Patient Exclusion

An estimated 48 million Americans — 19% of the population — have a disability. As Baby Boomers age, they're acquiring new disabilities, expanding the patient population that needs accessible portals and platforms.

Procurement Gatekeeping

Hospital systems and integrated delivery networks require VPATs before purchasing health IT. Vendors without procurement-ready documentation are excluded from RFPs entirely.

Section 504 Web Deadlines

The HHS Section 504 rule at 45 CFR part 84, subpart I sets WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA for web content and mobile apps. An interim final rule issued May 11, 2026 moved the compliance dates to May 11, 2027 for recipients of departmental financial assistance with fifteen or more employees, and May 10, 2028 for recipients with fewer. A public hospital is a Title II entity as well, and owes both.

Which accessibility standards apply to healthcare & life sciences

Standard

Applies

Section 1557 (ACA)

Requires healthcare organizations to make ICT — websites, apps, software — accessible to people with disabilities

ADA Title III

Private hospitals, practices, and clinics are 'places of public accommodation' and must ensure accessible digital services

ADA Title II

Binds public hospitals, hospital districts, and state university medical centers. The web and mobile app rule at 28 CFR 35.200 carries compliance dates of April 26, 2027 for public entities serving 50,000 or more people, and April 26, 2028 for smaller entities and special district governments.

Varies

Section 508

Binds federal agencies such as the VA and the Indian Health Service, and reaches health IT vendors through the contract when they sell into them. Federal grant or program funding alone does not put a private provider under Section 508.

Varies

Section 504

Prohibits disability discrimination in federally funded healthcare programs. The HHS rule at 45 CFR part 84, subpart I requires recipients of departmental financial assistance to meet WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA in web content and mobile apps by May 11, 2027, or May 10, 2028 for recipients with fewer than fifteen employees.

WCAG 2.1 / 2.2 AA

The technical standard both the Section 504 and Title II rules adopt: Level A and Level AA success criteria of WCAG 2.1. WCAG 2.2 builds on the same criteria, so an audit at 2.2 covers the version the rules name.

HIPAA

While separate from accessibility, both requirements apply to healthcare technology simultaneously

Accessibility barriers we frequently find

Patient Portal Barriers

Health portals where appointment scheduling, test results, and messaging features aren't keyboard or screen reader accessible.

Telehealth Video Interfaces

Video consultation platforms lacking captions, keyboard controls, and screen reader compatibility.

Medical Form Accessibility

Medical intake forms, consent documents, and registration workflows published as inaccessible PDFs or using non-accessible form controls.

Mobile Health Apps

Native apps for patient engagement that lack proper accessibility labels, touch target sizing, and navigation.

EHR System Interfaces

Electronic Health Record interfaces with complex data grids and workflows that trap keyboard focus or lack ARIA landmarks.

Billing & Payment Systems

Payment portals and billing dashboards that rely on visual-only indicators or fail to announce transaction status to assistive technology.

Patient Health Dashboards

Health data visualizations that convey information only through charts and color coding without text alternatives.

Authentication & Security

CAPTCHA, multi-factor authentication, and security workflows that exclude users relying on assistive technology.

How we help healthcare & life sciences

Healthcare Platform Audit

WCAG 2.2 AA manual and automated testing of patient portals, telehealth interfaces, EHR systems, and billing platforms.

VPAT 2.5 INT Edition

Procurement-ready Accessibility Conformance Reports, completed on the INT edition of the VPAT template, for health IT vendors selling into hospital systems, integrated delivery networks, and federal healthcare agencies.

Remediation Support

Developer-ready guidance for making complex healthcare interfaces accessible, with specific code patterns and ARIA techniques.

Training & Capacity Building

Training for clinical IT teams, developers, and content creators on building accessible healthcare experiences.

Discuss Your Needs

Health IT Vendor Passes Hospital System Procurement

Challenge

A health IT vendor's patient portal product was rejected by a major hospital system's procurement team due to accessibility deficiencies in scheduling, messaging, and test result workflows.

Solution

ADACP conducted a full platform audit covering all patient-facing workflows, produced an evidence-backed VPAT, and provided remediation guidance for 89 critical findings.

Outcome

The vendor passed procurement review and secured a multi-year licensing agreement with a top-20 US hospital system.

Patient workflows tested

Issues documented

6 weeks

Time to procurement-ready

$3.2M

Contract value

Accessibility checklist for healthcare & life sciences

Patient portal features (scheduling, messaging, results) are fully accessible
Telehealth video interface supports keyboard controls and captions
Medical forms and consent documents meet PDF accessibility standards
Mobile health apps meet platform accessibility guidelines
EHR interfaces support keyboard navigation and screen readers
Billing and payment systems announce status changes to assistive technology
Health data visualizations include text-based alternatives
Authentication is accessible without relying on visual-only challenges
Error messages are clearly associated with relevant form fields
Content supports text resizing without loss of functionality
VPAT is current and covers all patient-facing features

Our process for healthcare & life sciences

01

Workflow Mapping

We map critical patient workflows, identify testable features, and align scope to procurement and compliance requirements.
02

Comprehensive Audit

Manual and automated testing of all patient-facing flows against WCAG 2.2 AA, documenting findings with severity and remediation priority.
03

VPAT Production

Evidence-backed ACR completed on the VPAT template, covering all applicable criteria and formatted for hospital system and healthcare procurement review.
04

Remediation Guidance

Developer-ready recommendations with specific code patterns, ARIA techniques, and healthcare-specific interaction models.
05

Verification & Maintenance

Re-testing after fixes, VPAT updates, and ongoing support to maintain compliance as the platform evolves.

Why choose ADACP for healthcare & life sciences

Health IT Specialization

We've audited patient portals, EHR systems, telehealth platforms, and medical device interfaces. We understand the unique complexity of healthcare digital environments.

Section 1557 Expertise

We help healthcare organizations understand and meet Section 1557 requirements alongside ADA and Section 508, ensuring comprehensive compliance coverage.

Procurement-Ready Documentation

Our ACRs are completed on the VPAT template and detailed to satisfy hospital system IT reviews, integrated delivery network requirements, and federal healthcare procurement.

Smart Business, Ethical Business

Accessible healthcare websites boost ROI — search engines reward accessibility with better placement, and the 48M+ disability community represents massive market expansion. Happy patients are returning patients.

Frequently asked questions

What is Section 1557 and how does it affect healthcare accessibility?

Section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act requires healthcare organizations to make their information and communications technology (ICT) — including websites, apps, and software — accessible to people with disabilities. This applies alongside ADA Title III and Section 508 requirements.

When do the HHS Section 504 web accessibility deadlines take effect for healthcare organizations?

The HHS rule at 45 CFR part 84, subpart I requires web content and mobile apps to meet WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA. An interim final rule issued on May 11, 2026 extended the compliance dates: recipients of departmental financial assistance with fifteen or more employees have until May 11, 2027, and recipients with fewer than fifteen employees until May 10, 2028. A public hospital or hospital district is covered by ADA Title II as well, where 28 CFR 35.200 sets April 26, 2027 for public entities serving 50,000 or more people and April 26, 2028 for smaller entities and special district governments. Where both regimes apply, the earlier date governs. Private practices and private hospital systems fall under ADA Title III, which sets no compliance date of its own.

How does HIPAA relate to accessibility?

While HIPAA and accessibility are separate requirements, both apply to healthcare technology. HIPAA governs data privacy/security while ADA/Section 508 governs accessibility. Compliance with one doesn't satisfy the other.

Do hospital systems require VPATs for health IT procurement?

Yes. Most hospital systems and integrated delivery networks require vendors to submit VPATs as part of their IT procurement and vendor review process.

If a hospital licenses our patient portal, does its accessibility obligation reach our software?

In practice, yes. 45 CFR 84.84(a) covers the web content and mobile apps a recipient provides or makes available 'directly or through contractual, licensing, or other arrangements', and 28 CFR 35.200 uses the same language for public entities. A hospital cannot satisfy a rule that binds it if the portal, scheduling flow, or telehealth interface it licenses from you does not conform, which is why hospital procurement teams ask for an Accessibility Conformance Report before they sign.

Why can't automated tools alone ensure compliance?

Automated software scans catch approximately 30% of non-compliant issues. To truly ensure ADA compliance, you need manual audits by trained technicians who test for keyboard navigation, screen reader compatibility, and all WCAG requirements.

What about accessibility for telehealth platforms?

Telehealth accessibility includes video interface controls, chat functionality, document sharing, screen reader compatibility, and caption support for video consultations.

Why should healthcare organizations get proactive about accessibility?

Healthcare faces some of the highest litigation rates for accessibility. Proactive compliance reduces legal exposure, improves patient satisfaction, and ensures equitable access to care for all patients.

Related resources for healthcare & life sciences

WCAG 2.2 Compliance Guide

Step-by-step guide to WCAG 2.2 conformance

Blog: Healthcare Accessibility

Accessibility insights for healthcare organizations

David LoPresti

Founder and CEO, ADA Compliance Professionals

David LoPresti is the founder of ADA Compliance Professionals and works directly with software vendors and technology manufacturers, evaluating accessibility conformance and preparing the documentation required during procurement and contract review. A healthcare engagement tests the patient-facing workflow itself (the portal, telehealth interface, intake form or check-in kiosk) against WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA, the version both the HHS Section 504 rule and the ADA Title II rule incorporate by reference. You also receive a remediation plan your developers can work from and an ACR completed on the VPAT edition a hospital procurement team will read.

The standards this page refers to

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