Web Accessibility Critical for Health Information Access

New AHIMA Foundation Issue Brief Finds Web Accessibility a critical factor in health information access

A woman is sitting on a bench holding a cell phone in her hand.

Chicago, IL, Sept. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Currently, the U.S. healthcare system is failing its older adults and patients with disabilities on the digital front. Web accessibility–or digital accessibility more broadly–involves designing web page content to be inclusive of people who have visual, motor, auditory, speech, or cognitive disabilities. More than 61 million people in the United States (nearly 1 in 4) and over 1 billion people worldwide have one of these disabilities, including 46% of people aged 60 years and older.

In recognition of Digital Inclusion Week (Oct. 3-7) and October's Health Literacy Month, the American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Foundation, the charitable affiliate of AHIMA, published an issue brief entitled, “The Critical Role of Web Accessibility in Health Information Access, Understanding, and Use,” with key insights from an audit of over 100 top U.S. hospital website home pages and a survey of older adults and patients with disabilities.

“Web inaccessibility prevents those that often need life-changing, life-saving healthcare from accessing it online wherever they live,” said Angela Thi Bennett, Director of Digital Equity, National Telecommunications and Information Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. “The Digital Equity Act programs will empower Americans with disabilities to independently navigate digital healthcare systems and utilize websites that are designed to respond to their needs.”

Key findings of the AHIMA Foundation brief include:

Hospitals and health care systems in the U.S. need continuing education on the role of web accessibility in ADA compliance given the significance of newly issued federal guidance.

The home pages of most top U.S. hospitals have many accessibility errors and are not compliant with WCAG 2.1 criteria.

Older adults and patients with disabilities face barriers to accessing their health information electronically; many have struggled to use a hospital website or patient portal.

Multisectoral collaboration, including user-based testing with patients with disabilities and older adults, is needed to improve digital accessibility in the healthcare ecosystem.

AHIMA Foundation’s research findings included in this brief bring visibility to the newly issued Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and the newly issued Guidance on Nondiscrimination in Telehealth by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Civil Rights. As hospitals and healthcare systems across the United States prioritize initiatives centered on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) and environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG), this research provides institutions with a starting place to improve their digital experience in a way that is compliant, accessible, and patient and data-informed.

“There isn’t a healthcare facility in the country that would leave its main entrance without an accessible physical entrance, yet we found more work needs to be done to ensure equitable entry through the facility’s digital front door,” commented Amanda Krupa, MSc, AHIMA Foundation Director and lead author of the issue brief. “Everyone appreciates a good user experience, but it’s critical from a health access perspective as the population in this country ages and increasingly relies on technology to get both health information and care.”

The number of Americans 65 and older is projected to nearly double from 52 million in 2018 to 95 million by 2060, and one of the objectives of HealthyPeople 2030 is to “increase the proportion of people who can view, download, and send their electronic health information.”

"Outside of a public health emergency, digital accessibility is something we should care about or take ownership for as health information professionals," remarked Aurae Beidler, MHA, RHIA, CHC, CHPS, Director-elect to the AHIMA Board of Directors, Former Compliance and Privacy Officer at Linn County Department of Health Services in Albany, Oregon.

How this Nonprofit Skyrocketed its Digital Presence

By Zerrow Studios • February 9, 2026

A Case Study in Transformative Digital Growth for the Edmonton Social Planning Council

Ultimate Burger Battle: When Fundraising Meets Voting Made Fun by Zerrow

By Zerrow Studios • November 7, 2025

On November 3rd, they kicked off their Ultimate Burger Battle ( https://www.uwlg.org/UBB )—a fundraising campaign that turns local restaurants into competitors and donors into judges. Here's how it works: Eight local burger joints are battling it out. People donate to vote for their favorite. The restaurant with the most votes (donations) wins bragging rights and a trophy. It's simple, fun, and surprisingly effective at getting people to pay attention. Why it's working: This isn't your typical "please donate" ask. It's entertainment. It creates buzz. Restaurants promote themselves. Local media covers it as a story, not just charity news. Social feeds light up with burger debates. The campaign turns passive scrolling into active participation. Traditional fundraising often feels like obligation. This feels like choosing sides in a friendly competition. The tech behind the votes: United Way Leeds & Grenville partnered with Zerrow.com to build the voting experience. The visual polling widget does the heavy lifting—donors see live results update instantly, creating that "we're winning" (or "we need to catch up") energy that keeps people engaged. Setup was fast. Results are visual. The widget handles the real-time updates while United Way's media partner crafted the campaign itself. They also benefit from their easy to manage website and security from Zerrow.com. Their website is so easy to manage that they designed their campaign landing page without any help. The result? A fundraiser that doesn't feel like a fundraiser. Just a fun way to support local businesses while supporting the community. P.S. Sometimes the best innovation isn't inventing something new—it's making the donation experience feel less like a transaction and more like being part of something people actually want to talk about.