National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Prioritizing Accessibility in Digital Health Tools

By Tammy Coutts (MEDITECH), Chair, and Michael Blackman, MD, MBA (Greenway Health), Vice Chair, EHR Association SDOH and Health Equity Workgroup

Nearly a quarter of the U.S. population lives with a reported disability. And because many choose not to disclose their experiences, or face only temporary or situational challenges, that number is likely higher. The reality is, disability touches almost all of our lives at one point or another, which is why accessible EHR and patient portal design matters.

As the EHR Association closes out its observation of National Disability Employment Awareness Month 2026, themed “Celebrating Value and Talent,” we honor the contributions of talented healthcare professionals, reflect on the journey toward inclusion, and recognize the role EHR developers play in advancing social determinants of health (SDOH) and health equity by prioritizing accessibility in digital health tools.

Reinforcing our commitment to accessible solutions for all users, EHRA’s SDOH & Health Equity Workgroup has published the Mobile Accessibility Checklist, a supplement to its Accessibility Checklist that shares real-world scenarios tailored specifically to mobile device users. It also offers an actionable checklist for supporting healthcare professionals using mobile products.

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Accessibility Is a Social Determinant of Health

By the EHR Association SDOH & Health Equity Task Force

The digitalization of healthcare means that accessibility is now a strategic priority. To help guide accessibility strategies, the EHR Association offers the EHRA Accessibility Checklist. Designed to raise awareness and provide guidance for EHR developers in creating software that meets the needs of individuals with disabilities, the checklist presents scenarios and emphasizes the importance of considering the human aspect of accessibility when designing EHR products. 

While Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) traditionally focus on housing, food security, transportation, and education – all of which shape patient outcomes long before a clinician makes a diagnosis – there is another determinant that is often overlooked, yet equally critical in optimal healthcare delivery: Accessibility.

Global Accessibility Awareness Day recognizes that the more than 1 billion people worldwide living with disabilities rely on accessible digital experiences to fully participate in society. This means that, for healthcare, accessibility isn’t just a design concern; it is a health equity issue. 

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National Disability Employment Awareness Month: Putting Accessibility into Practice

By Tammy Coutts (MEDITECH), Chair of the EHR Association Social Determinants of Health & Health Equity Task Force

Ability and disability exist on a spectrum, one that nearly everyone will find themselves on at some point in time. Ways in which limitations show up vary dramatically and can be permanent, temporary or sporadic in duration. That is why, when it comes to inclusive design, health IT software developers should focus more on empowering everyone to succeed and less narrowly on addressing specific disability challenges.

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