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.
Trusted by teams across regulated and public-sector environments
The Challenge
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. HHS enforcement is increasing, with penalties that can include loss of federal funding.
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.
Regulations & Standards
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
Healthcare providers are 'places of public accommodation' and must ensure accessible digital services
Section 508
Applies to health IT procured by federal agencies or federally funded institutions
Section 504
Prohibits disability discrimination in federally-funded healthcare programs
WCAG 2.2 AA
Referenced standard for web-based health platforms and patient portals
HIPAA
While separate from accessibility, both requirements apply to healthcare technology simultaneously
Common Issues
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.
Our Services
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 2.4 International Edition
Procurement-ready VPATs 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.
Success Story
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.
32
Patient workflows tested
89
Issues documented
6 weeks
Time to procurement-ready
$3.2M
Contract value
Compliance Checklist
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
How We Work
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 VPAT covering all applicable criteria, 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 ADACP
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 VPATs are formatted 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.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is Section 1557 and how does it affect healthcare accessibility?
How does HIPAA relate to accessibility?
Do hospital systems require VPATs for health IT procurement?
Why can't automated tools alone ensure compliance?
What about accessibility for telehealth platforms?
Why should healthcare organizations get proactive about accessibility?
Resources
Related resources for healthcare & life sciences
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