Website accessibility for healthcare · Hampton Roads and remote
Patient-friendly websites that everyone can use
I’m Erick, a Hampton Roads designer who fixes website accessibility for clinics. Many practice websites have barriers that block patients who use screen readers, keyboards, magnifiers or older phones. I find them and fix them in your real site code, with no plugins and no overlays.
HHS Section 504 deadline: May 11, 2027 (15+ employees) · May 10, 2028 (fewer than 15)
An audit and fix usually takes 4–8 weeks, plus time for your web vendor. Starting early means doing it calmly, not in a rush.
Who your website may be turning away
Most of these barriers are invisible if you browse with a mouse. Patients run into them when they try to call, book an appointment or find your office.
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Screen reader users
A phone, map or portal icon with no label is read out as just “link.” The patient has to guess which one books an appointment.
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Keyboard users
People who can’t use a mouse press Tab to move through a page. An appointment form or menu that only works with clicks stops them cold.
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Patients with low vision
Light gray text for phone numbers and office hours is hard to read, especially for older patients and anyone zoomed in.
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Patients on older phones
Sites that turn off pinch-to-zoom, or forms that only come as PDFs, are hard to use on a small screen.
What I found on 30 local clinic websites
In November 2026 I scanned the websites of 30 independent practices in Norfolk, Virginia Beach, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Hampton, Newport News and Williamsburg: family care, pediatrics, physical therapy, dermatology, behavioral health and more.
Most common failures on Hampton Roads clinic sites
Number of sites with each issue · automated scan, November 2026
90%had serious or critical failures (27 of 30)
- Low-contrast text 21 of 30 sites
- Links with no name (icon and image links) 13 of 30 sites
- Embedded maps, videos or booking widgets with no title 9 of 30 sites
- Images missing alt text 7 of 30 sites
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23%
offered new-patient paperwork only as PDF downloads (7 of 30)
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27%
linked to an accessibility statement, and 7 of those 8 still had serious failures
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2 of 2
sites with an overlay widget still had serious failures in their code
Three clinic fixes in 30 seconds
What these fixes look like on a typical practice website. No sound; the description below covers everything shown.
Video description (text version)
Shown on a fictional practice website, Harbor Family Practice.
- Form labels. An appointment request form has fields with only placeholder text and no labels, so a screen reader announces just “Edit text, blank.” After the fix, visible labels (Full name, Phone, Preferred date) appear above each field, and the screen reader says “Full name, edit text.”
- Contrast. The clinic’s phone number and office hours are pale gray at a 2.4:1 contrast ratio, which fails the 4.5:1 minimum. The text darkens to 7.6:1 and passes.
- Link names. Three icon-only links (phone, map pin and patient portal) are each announced as just “Link.” After adding names, they’re announced as “Call us, 757-555-0142, link,” “Directions, link” and “Patient portal, link.”
- Closing card: “Fixed in the site’s code. No overlay widgets.” ericknolasco.com.
Why now
Under the updated HHS Section 504 rule, healthcare providers that receive federal financial assistance (for example, Medicaid or Medicare Part A) need websites that meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA.
- May 11, 2027practices with 15 or more employees
- May 10, 2028practices with fewer than 15 employees
Dates as extended by HHS on May 7, 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Packages and pricing
- Start here
Accessibility Audit
From $1,250
Up to 10 pages; larger sites quoted after a short call
A WCAG 2.1 AA review of up to 10 pages, with automated and hands-on keyboard and screen-reader testing, a prioritized plain-English report and a draft accessibility statement. The fee is credited toward Audit + Fix if you book it within 30 days.
Turnaround: 5–7 business days
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Audit + Fix
From $3,500
Typical small practice site; PDF forms quoted separately
Everything in the audit, plus fixes made directly in your site’s code, a re-test and a before-and-after report.
Turnaround: 3–6 weeks
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Fix guide for your web vendor
From $1,750
For practices with a web company already on contract
The audit plus step-by-step fix instructions your current web company can follow, and a re-test once they’re done.
Turnaround: 1–2 weeks, then re-test
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Monitoring
$199/mo
Optional; cancel anytime
A monthly scan and manual spot check of your key pages, up to 2 hours of fixes when new issues appear, and dated records.
Turnaround: Monthly
You get a fixed quote before any work starts, and a 50% deposit starts the project. Work outside the agreed scope is billed at $100/hr, and I’ll always ask first. Patient portals and booking systems run by other vendors are tested and documented, but fixes inside them are up to the vendor.
How it works
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Step 1
Quick call
We choose your most important pages.
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Step 2
Audit
A plain-English report of issues, by priority.
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Step 3
Fix
I fix the top issues, or hand your web company a fix guide.
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Step 4
Re-test
An after report showing what changed.
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Step 5
Monitoring
Optional and monthly, with no long-term contract.
Free pilot for 1–2 clinics
- An accessibility audit of up to 5 pages (your homepage plus key pages such as appointments, contact, services and forms), checked against WCAG 2.1 AA with automated tools and hands-on keyboard and screen-reader testing
- Fixes for the top 5–10 issues, made in your actual site or handed to your web person as clear instructions
- A plain-English before-and-after report with scores
- No overlays or plugins
Want to be considered? Mention “pilot” in the form below. What I ask in return: written permission to publish a short case study (your clinic is named only if you agree), an optional testimonial, and before-and-after scores and screenshots.
What this isn't
This isn’t legal advice or a compliance certification, and no one can guarantee you won’t receive a complaint. It’s a practical first step that fixes the biggest barriers and shows you where the rest are.
Common questions
Do we have to do this?
If your practice receives federal financial assistance (for example, Medicaid or Medicare Part A), the updated HHS Section 504 rule requires your website to meet WCAG 2.1 Level AA by the dates above. Check with your attorney or compliance lead about your situation. This page is general information, not legal advice.
How much does it cost?
Audits start at $1,250 for up to 10 pages, and Audit + Fix starts at $3,500. Most small practice sites fall near those starting prices. Larger sites, many PDF forms or custom booking flows cost more, and I quote them after a short call. You always get a fixed quote before any work starts.
What about our patient portal or booking system?
Those are usually run by a third-party vendor. I test the parts patients use, document any issues inside the vendor’s system and give you clear notes to send them.
What about our PDF forms?
I check whether your patient forms can be filled in with a screen reader. Depending on the form, the fix is a properly tagged PDF or an accessible online form. PDF work is quoted separately based on the number of pages.
Will this change how our site looks?
Mostly no. Many fixes are invisible, like labels, headings and keyboard behavior. If a color or focus style needs to change, I show you the change first.
What website platforms do you work with?
Most clinic sites I see run on WordPress, and that’s where I can fix the most, because I can work directly in the theme and templates. I also work on Wix, Squarespace and Duda sites. On those builders some things are locked by the platform, like how menus and forms are built, so I fix everything the builder allows and tell you clearly in the report what can’t be changed and what your options are.
Can you work with our current web company?
Yes. I can fix the code myself, or give your web company a fix guide and re-test their work.
Do you use an overlay or widget?
No. In my scan of local clinic sites, both sites that had an overlay widget still had serious failures in their code. I fix the site itself.
Is this a certification?
No. No one can certify a website or guarantee you won’t receive a complaint. You get a dated record of what was tested and fixed.
Get a free 5-point summary
Send me your website and I’ll reply within 3 business days with the 5 most important accessibility issues I find, in plain English. No obligation.