We’ve all been there: you arrive at a healthcare provider for an appointment, and there’s no one available at the check-in area. You might just see a kiosk to check in. Imagine, now, how frustrated you’d feel if that kiosk was out of order. Or its software is frozen.
For people with disabilities, any healthcare kiosk that isn’t fully digitally accessible may as well be out of order every single time.
TPGi’s Business Development VP Matt Ater is blind, and he says patients like him face this problem regularly. Patients may be blind or have low vision. They may have problems clicking buttons because of coordination challenges. They may have a cognitive disability. Often, a combination of limitations affects their experience. Ater also highlights that many patients have temporary disabilities that impact their ability to navigate a healthcare system too.
The irony is that digitization allows all kinds of aids to provide more access for people with disabilities. But all too often, the digital technologies put up a barrier instead.
In the video interview below, Ater talks about the ongoing fight among disability advocates to get accessible websites, mobile apps, self-service kiosks, and medical devices. He cites proposed changes to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, where HHS recently announced new requirements for healthcare facilities and devices. And he summarized TPGi’s services that help institutions meet the requirements of people with disabilities.
Ater would like accommodations for people with disabilities to be at least as common as wheelchair ramps are now. “Every person with a disability should be able to enter and navigate a healthcare facility, fill out forms, read the results of a blood pressure device, and follow instructional videos without the need for a helper. Making these items more accessible often benefits all patients, regardless of disability.”
One out of every four Americans has a disability. Watch this video to learn about some of the needs of people with disabilities and how healthcare organizations can improve their patient experience for all.
Learn more about TPG Interactive: https://www.tpgi.com/
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