The Healthcare Website Accessibility Checklist for 2026

At Remedy CMS, accessibility is built into the foundation of the platform, empowering healthcare organizations to create websites that are easier to navigate, easier to manage, and designed with real patient experiences in mind. From keyboard-friendly navigation and accessible content structures to mobile optimization and contrast-conscious design, modern healthcare websites should prioritize accessibility from the very beginning — not as an afterthought.

1. Color & Contrast

Text Contrast

• Ensure normal body text meets at least 4.5:1 contrast ratio
• Large text (18px+ or 14px bold+) should meet 3:1
• Avoid light gray text on white backgrounds
• Test all buttons, links, form labels, and overlays

Background Images

• Add dark overlays behind white text on hero images
• Avoid placing important text directly over busy photography
• Use solid or semi-transparent background containers when needed

Color Usage

• Never rely on color alone to communicate meaning
  • Example: error states should include icons or text
• Ensure hover and focus states remain accessible
• Validate branded colors against WCAG AA standards

2. Typography & Readability

Font Choices

• Use highly legible fonts
• Avoid overly thin font weights
• Recommended body weights:
  • 400–500 for paragraph text
  • 600+ for headings/buttons

Text Sizing

• Minimum body size: 16px
• Maintain generous line-height (1.5+)
• Avoid centered long-form content

Content Structure

• Use short paragraphs
• Break up content with headings and bullets
• Keep reading level patient/user-friendly

3. Headings & Semantic Structure

Proper Heading Order

• Use only one H1 per page
• Follow logical structure:
  • H1
  • H2
  • H3
  • H4

Semantic HTML

Use proper elements:

• <header>
• <nav>
• <main>
• <section>
• <footer>

Avoid using generic <div> elements for everything.

4. Keyboard Accessibility

Full Keyboard Navigation

Users should be able to:

• Tab through all interactive elements
• Access menus
• Open dropdowns
• Submit forms
• Close modals

Visible Focus States

• Never remove browser focus outlines without replacement
• Use highly visible focus indicators

Example:

<pre><code>:focus-visible {
  outline: 3px solid #005fcc;
  outline-offset: 2px;
}</code></pre>

5. Navigation & Menus

Navigation Best Practices

• Keep navigation consistent across pages
• Include skip links
• Ensure dropdowns work via keyboard
• Use descriptive navigation labels

Mobile Navigation

• Hamburger menus must:
  • Be keyboard accessible
  • Support screen readers
  • Have clear open/close states

6. Forms & Patient Interactions

Form Accessibility

Every form field should have:

• Proper <label>
• Clear instructions
• Error messaging
• Required field indicators

Error Handling

• Errors should be announced to screen readers
• Include both color and text feedback

Bad:

• Red border only

Good:

• “Please enter a valid email address”

7. Images & Media

Alt Text

• All meaningful images need descriptive alt text
• Decorative images should use:

<pre><code>alt=""</code></pre>

Video Accessibility

• Provide captions
• Include transcripts when possible
• Avoid autoplay with sound

Icons

• Ensure icons include accessible labels
• Don’t rely solely on icon meaning

8. Buttons & Links

Buttons

Buttons should:

• Have clear labels
• Be large enough to tap on mobile
• Include hover/focus states

Good:

• “Schedule Appointment”

Bad:

• “Click Here”

Links

• Use descriptive anchor text
• Avoid vague labels

Good:

• “View Our Orthopedic Specialists”

Bad:

• “Learn More”

9. Responsive & Mobile Accessibility

Mobile-Friendly Design

• Ensure content reflows properly
• Avoid horizontal scrolling
• Use adequate spacing between touch targets

Zoom Support

• Support browser zoom up to 200%
• Prevent layout breaking at larger text sizes

10. Screen Reader Support

ARIA Usage

Use ARIA only when necessary:

• aria-label
• aria-expanded
• aria-hidden

Avoid overusing ARIA to compensate for poor HTML structure.

Dynamic Content

• Alerts/modals should announce properly
• Accordion states should update accessibly

11. Accessibility for Healthcare Websites

Patient-Focused Accessibility

Healthcare sites should prioritize:

• Easy appointment scheduling
• Readable provider bios
• Accessible location pages
• Simple insurance information
• Clear calls-to-action

ADA & WCAG Compliance

Target:

• WCAG 2.1 AA compliance
• Ongoing accessibility testing
• Regular audits after launches

12. PDFs & Third-Party Tools

PDFs

• Use tagged PDFs
• Ensure selectable text
• Add proper reading order

Third-Party Widgets

Audit:

• Chat tools
• Scheduling platforms
• Payment systems
• Review widgets

These are common accessibility failure points.

13. Accessibility Testing Checklist

Automated Testing

Use tools like:

• WAVE
• Axe DevTools
• Lighthouse

Manual Testing

Also test:

• Keyboard-only navigation
• Screen readers
• Mobile accessibility
• Zoom/reflow
• Contrast validation

14. Accessibility Overlay Warning

Accessibility overlays do NOT:

• Fix poor HTML
• Repair heading structure
• Resolve keyboard traps
• Correct screen reader issues

True accessibility requires:

• Proper development
• Accessible UX decisions
• Ongoing maintenance

15. Accessibility Maintenance Plan

Accessibility is ongoing.

Create a process for:

• Quarterly audits
• Content editor training
• Accessibility QA before publishing
• Continuous WCAG monitoring

Quick Accessibility Wins

• Improve text contrast
• Add image overlays
• Fix heading hierarchy
• Add visible focus states
• Improve button sizes
• Add descriptive alt text
• Simplify forms
• Reduce clutter
• Optimize mobile spacing
• Test with keyboard navigation

Recommended Goal

Aim for:

WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance

while creating a cleaner, more user-friendly experience for every visitor — especially patients, caregivers, and older users navigating healthcare websites.