ADA Compliance For Medical and Dental Websites

ADA Adherence For Medical Websites and Doctors is Becoming More and More Important. It is Included in the Gold Service. No Need to Pay Extra. Read More About GOLD Service. Read directly about ADA and website content guidelines https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/. and. https://www.ada.gov/taman3.html

There are so many regulations for doctors and medical practices in USA. Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA, is one of many regulations making it’s way to lawyers and medical practices. For example, one of our customers with 3 medical practice locations was served with a lawsuit. Although this was an attempt to extort money, the doctor had no choice, but to settle the case. This can happen to any medical practice in USA.

What is ADA?

The Americans with Disabilities Act, ADA, is a federal law passed in 1990 that aims to protect the rights of disabled people to ensure they are not discriminated against due to their disability. Most people are familiar with the physical accommodations by the ADA that businesses are required to make, such as automatic door openers and wheelchair ramps. Now these guidelines apply to the internet and medical websites as well. Since 2018, we have seen many lawyers sending lawsuit letters to physicians and medical practices. The ADA requires that public places, including hospitals and physicians’ offices, be accessible to people with disabilities. This new law is now extended to healthcare websites. The U.S. Department of Justice has taken the position that websites open to the public must also be accessible in various ways to people with sight or hearing impairment. Read more at official government website here.

Do all websites have to be ADA compliant?

Technically, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title III, which concerns public businesses, does not specifically address websites. Local and state government websites must be accessible under Title II of the ADA and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act.

Andres Gomez vs. CAC Florida Medical Centers (2017). Read more at. https://healthcareweekly.com/ada-compliance-healthcare-websites/

Andres Gomez is a serial ADA plaintiff who is legally blind. He recently filed an ADA lawsuit against CAC Florida Medical Centers in Federal District Court in Florida, claiming that he wasn’t able to access the company’s website via a screen reader. The lawsuit was ultimately dismissed by the judge.

Ways to make a medical website ADA compliant

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires businesses to provide equal access to goods and services for individuals with disabilities. This includes ensuring that your medical website is accessible to people with visual, auditory, or physical impairments. Below is a guide on how to make your medical website ADA compliant, combining key strategies for accessibility:

1. Conduct a Thorough Accessibility Audit

Automated Tools: Use tools like WAVE or Lighthouse to identify common accessibility issues.
Manual Testing: Test your website using assistive technologies like screen readers (e.g., JAWS) and keyboard navigation to ensure it works properly for individuals with disabilities.

2. Implement WCAG 2.1 Guidelines

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG): Adhere to these standards to ensure your website is accessible. Focus on four key principles:
- Perceivable: Content should be presented in ways that all users can perceive, including alternatives like text for images.
- Operable: Make sure users can navigate your website using both a keyboard and a mouse.
- Understandable: Content and navigation should be intuitive and easy to follow.
- Robust: Ensure compatibility with various assistive technologies and browsers.

3. Improve Visual Accessibility

Color Contrast: Use sufficient contrast between text and background to make content legible, especially for users with vision impairments.
Alternative Text: Provide descriptive alt text for images, videos, and other non-text content so screen readers can convey their purpose.
Font Sizes: Ensure that text is scalable, and users can adjust font sizes based on their needs.

4. Enhance Keyboard Navigation

Tab Order: Ensure elements can be navigated in a logical, sequential manner using the tab key.
Focus Indicators: Clearly highlight which element is currently focused during navigation to make it obvious for users who rely on keyboard input.
Keyboard Shortcuts: Offer keyboard shortcuts for common actions like submitting forms or navigating pages.

5. Provide Audio Descriptions and Captions

Audio Descriptions for Videos: Ensure that any videos include audio descriptions that describe the visual content for users with visual impairments.
Closed Captions: Add captions to videos for those with hearing impairments to follow along with the spoken content.

6. Use Semantic HTML

Proper HTML Elements: Structure your website using appropriate HTML elements (e.g., headings, paragraphs, and lists) to create a clear hierarchy for screen readers.
ARIA Landmarks: Use Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) roles to enhance navigation for assistive technologies, providing better context for each element on the page.

7. Create Accessible Forms

Label Fields: Ensure all form fields are clearly labeled so users know what information to provide.
Error Messages: Offer informative error messages that clearly explain what went wrong and how to correct it.

8. Optimize for Screen Readers

Heading Structure: Use logical heading levels (e.g., h1, h2, h3) to help screen readers understand the flow of your content.
Table Captions: Provide summary descriptions and column headers for tables so users can understand their content more easily.

9. Regular Testing and Maintenance

Ongoing Testing: Continuously test your website for accessibility, especially after making updates.
Accessibility Statement: Publish an accessibility statement outlining your commitment to ensuring your website is accessible to everyone.

10. Consider Professional Assistance

Consult Accessibility Experts: If you’re unsure about implementing these changes, consult professionals who specialize in web accessibility to ensure compliance.

By following these guidelines, you will not only ensure your medical website meets ADA compliance but also provide an inclusive, user-friendly experience for all visitors, including those with disabilities. This will enhance your site’s usability and expand your reach to a wider audience.

GOLD & PLATINUM Service Includes ADA Adherence

There are specific steps you will need to take to make sure your website is accessible to everyone, including people with disabilities. This requirement is specifically if you are a brick and mortar clinic. There are technical requirements and adherence required for medical websites. Every page on your website has to adhere to standards. Contact us and go through the GOLD Service here.

1) ADA does not have “compliance” certification for websites
2) There are guidelines and accommodations that a website site provider must provide for certain patients who need extra support per. https://www.afb.org. Legally blind people use screen readers (https://www.afb.org/) – These screen readers are software. And all screen readers do not work on all websites. So healthcare providers should provide “reasonable” accommodations.

We offer the “reasonable” accommodations, with our service and it is included in your service.
We offer following accommodations in your service:

Some areas to consider are :

1) Pages with specific titles (H1) and headings to help with screen readers
2) Pages with (H2) titles so the screen readers easily read the page.
3) Page text is NOT “hidden”
4) Clear disclaimers at the bottom of pages
5) Navigation ease. Websites should have simple navigation with titles, rather than hidden menus and image based menus that are harder to read by the screen readers.
6) We provide disclaimer on the website so the website provides a way for the reader to contact you, if they are having issues using the website. This is in accordance with the ADA guidelines.
7) Navigation widget can be added to the website – however it does come with issues of its own .