The principles of equitable healthcare extend way beyond physical medical facilities and services. They encompass the virtual realm as well. By embracing the principles of website accessibility, healthcare organizations can truly fulfill their mission to serve every patient, regardless of unique needs and circumstances.
Join us as we explore the challenges faced by individuals with disabilities on healthcare websites, discuss the practical steps organizations can take to enhance accessibility, and examine the broader implications of creating an inclusive healthcare environment.
The Digitization of the Healthcare Sector
The advent of online platforms has ushered in a new era of healthcare information and services, revolutionizing the way individuals engage with their health and well-being. Healthcare websites have evolved beyond static repositories of information. They are now dynamic hubs that bridge the gap between patients and their healthcare providers.
People go online for several healthcare-related reasons, including:
- Finding a doctor
- Making appointments
- Attending telehealth consultations
- Researching symptoms
- Refilling prescriptions
- Paying medical bills
- Buying medical insurance
- Accessing test results
The convenience of digital platforms to achieve these tasks empowers patients to play a more active role in their healthcare journey and manage their well-being more effectively.
But there’s a problem. Many healthcare websites are not accessible to everyone.
Who Needs Help Accessing Healthcare Online?
On average, 1 in every 4 Americans has a physical, visual, auditory, cognitive, or neurological disability that can make accessing information online challenging. That’s 20% of the population:
- Visual impairments affect 14 million Americans (National Institutes of Health)
- Learning disabilities affect around 4 million people (Healthy Place)
- Language barriers impact accessibility for the 67 million residents who speak a language other than English (Center for Immigration Studies)
- Hearing loss affects one in eight Americans (National Institute for
- Deafness and Other Communication Disorders)
By very nature, individuals with disabilities need more regular checkups, treatment, and assistance from health organizations. So it’s essential that healthcare providers make the information on their websites accessible. Otherwise, disabled people face further barriers and risk receiving an unequal standard of care.
Why is an Accessible Website Important for Healthcare Organizations?
Accessible websites align with the core goals of the healthcare sector, which include improving patient-centered care, eliminating discrimination, and supporting our aging population:
Patient-centered Care – By being inclusive of various disabilities, accessible websites empower people to manage their healthcare regime independently. It’s vital that healthcare organizations encourage autonomy, rather than patients feeling like they’re passive recipients of higher-level medical decisions.
Anti-discrimination – Healthcare and medical services should be provided without bias or prejudice. Inclusive websites extend this ethos to the digital realm by dismantling access barriers to ensure those with disabilities are not treated less favorably when seeking information or services.
Our Aging Population – One in every six Americans is 65 or older. That’s nearly 55 million people. As the aging population increases, so does the prevalence of physical disabilities, visual impairments, hearing loss, and additional challenges related to technology adoption and digital literacy.
What Accessibility Problems Do People Face on Healthcare Websites?
Online access barriers occur whenever an element of a website’s design or presentation makes it difficult to read or interact with the content. Generally speaking, online barriers arise due to problems with reading, navigation, or comprehension.
Readability Issues
- People with vision problems like partial blindness, color blindness, and deaf blindness cannot read information online when the font type, sizing, and spacing are unsuitable.
- Those with severe visual impairments need to use a screen reader to have content read aloud.
- Users with neurodivergent traits like dyslexia, dyspraxia, and hyperlexia struggle with reading due to insufficient color contrasts between the text and background.
Navigation Issues
- Website visitors who speak English as a second language may need translation assistance to comprehend content.
- Deaf patients are denied information when on-page video content is not presented with captions.
- Visually impaired users may struggle to find context when images are missing suitably descriptive alt tags.
Comprehension Issues
- Website visitors who speak English as a second language may need translation assistance to comprehend content.
- Deaf patients are denied information when on-page video content is not presented with captions.
- Visually impaired users may struggle to find context when images are missing suitably descriptive alt tags.
The Business Case for Website Accessibility
Many organizations shy away from making website accessibility improvements, perceiving them to be either too expensive or too complex. Yet, solutions are readily available, and the investment is well worth considering the potential for costly legal repercussions when websites remain inaccessible. Plus, there are several business benefits to be gained from improved digital inclusion.
Increased Patient Engagement
Accessible websites remove barriers that hinder interaction and keep patients engaged in their healthcare journeys. This allows for a more collaborative and coordinated approach, with patients and their families playing key decision-making roles alongside healthcare providers to ensure emotional well-being and physical comfort in addition to meeting targeted treatment needs.
Improved Outcomes
When you increase understanding and trust by providing accessible websites and inclusive communication channels, patients become more communicative with healthcare providers, which typically results in:
- Improved treatment adherence
- Higher customer satisfaction scores
- Continuous improvement via patient feedback
Access to New Markets
Increased focus on web accessibility and inclusivity is especially poignant in the context of telehealth services and online consultations – both of which are booming markets. The global telehealth market is projected to grow from $142.96 billion in 2023 to $504.24 billion by 2030, offering immense promise for disabled patients to receive medical guidance and care without the hurdles of physical mobility.
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