Almost every modern healthcare experience now involves technology. From appointment scheduling to patient portals and billing, critical parts of managing health happen online.
If digital accessibility is not a priority, patients who rely on assistive technology will not be able to manage their health independently.
One of the most important digital tasks in healthcare is scheduling appointments online. In this post, I will walk through common accessibility barriers I encounter during that process. As always, I will focus primarily on screen reader accessibility.
Online calendars remain one of the most frustrating accessibility challenges on healthcare websites.
Every scheduling flow requires a date and time. Unfortunately, the way many systems handle that selection creates immediate blockers.
Many providers use a visual calendar grid that resembles a physical wall calendar. These are extremely difficult to navigate with a screen reader.
Screen readers cannot logically move through the date structure because of the table-like layout. Even when navigation technically works, the experience is confusing and inefficient.
Most calendar grids only show one month at a time. Small arrow buttons allow users to move between months. Those arrows are often unlabeled in the code, which means a screen reader does not announce their purpose. If I cannot move to the correct month, I cannot schedule the appointment.
Another frequent issue involves distinguishing available appointments from unavailable ones.
Visually, unavailable times may appear grayed out or marked with a slash or symbol. Screen readers cannot detect those visual cues unless developers add proper semantic coding on the back end.
The result is trial and error. I select a time and attempt to move forward. If the system advances, the slot was available. If it does not, I picked an unavailable time.
That process is inefficient and frustrating, especially when managing healthcare needs.
The best scheduling interfaces only display available appointment times. When systems reduce unnecessary complexity, accessibility improves for everyone.
Scheduling is also one of the highest traffic digital flows on most healthcare websites. When that flow is not accessible, patients encounter barriers at the first step of care.
First-time appointment scheduling often requires uploading an insurance card. That process introduces another set of barriers.
The button that opens the system file picker is frequently unlabeled. If the screen reader cannot detect that button, the process stops immediately.
After uploading the first image, I often encounter a keyboard trap. The file name becomes impossible to navigate past. Focus stops behaving logically, and I cannot move forward.
Since insurance cards have two sides, the system usually requires two uploads. I have found that even when the first upload works properly, the second often triggers erratic screen reader behavior. Focus jumps around the page. Buttons stop responding. The upload control becomes undetectable.
From a patient perspective, this feels like the system is fighting me.
Some modern systems attempt to interpret the insurance card image and automatically populate fields such as patient name or plan number.
That feature can be helpful. However, if the screen reader does not announce the populated data, I cannot verify accuracy. Healthcare information must be correct. If I cannot confirm what the system entered, I lose confidence in the process.
Explore common accessibility challenges specific to mobile healthcare experiences.
Many providers use patient portals. During scheduling, I am often asked whether I would like to use my entered information to create a portal account.
This is usually handled through a check-box.
I recently encountered a scheduling form where the check-box was announced as “Pressed” regardless of its actual state. After submitting my appointment request, I received no portal information.
When I reviewed the page with a sighted user, we discovered that the screen reader always announced the check-box as active, even when it was not selected.
That disconnect creates confusion and undermines trust.
Patient portals, appointment scheduling, login, and billing are some of the most critical digital flows in healthcare. When these flows are inaccessible, patients experience friction at the exact moment they are trying to access care.
If you would like to see additional real-world examples, I have also written about my broader experience navigating healthcare websites
According to the CDC, 1 in 4 adults in the United States lives with a disability. At the same time, most patients now rely on digital systems to manage their healthcare.
Appointment scheduling, patient portals, telehealth platforms, and online billing are primary access points to care.
Healthcare organizations manage complex digital ecosystems. Websites, portals, mobile apps, and third-party scheduling systems often operate across multiple platforms and vendors. When accessibility gaps appear in high-traffic workflows such as scheduling or login, patients feel the impact immediately.
For healthcare providers receiving federal funding, HHS Section 504 requires digital accessibility compliance. The rule became effective July 8, 2024, with full compliance required by May 11, 2026 for organizations with 15 or more employees.
Improving accessibility in high-traffic patient flows often delivers the most meaningful impact. Scheduling is frequently the first digital interaction a patient has with a provider. If that experience fails, trust erodes quickly.
Read more about digital accessibility in healthcare and common industry challenges
Healthcare accessibility directly affects independence.
When I cannot select a date, upload insurance, or confirm a check-box state, I cannot manage my own health without assistance.
Accessibility improvements in scheduling systems are not cosmetic upgrades. They determine whether patients can access care efficiently and independently.
For healthcare organizations with limited digital or QA resources, these issues often persist because teams are stretched thin across multiple platforms. Addressing them requires structured remediation and ongoing monitoring to ensure barriers do not return.
If your team is evaluating how to improve accessibility across websites, portals, and apps, reviewing critical patient workflows such as scheduling is a strong place to start.
Because when scheduling becomes accessible, healthcare becomes more accessible.
Disclaimer: The materials in this blog are for educational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. Organizations should consult their legal counsel for advice on specific situations.