Illustrative photo.
Healthcare websites carry more responsibility than most. Visitors are often stressed, unwell, or supporting someone who is, and many are using assistive technology or accessing the site on an older device. A basic accessibility and privacy review catches problems before they become patient trust issues.
Start with color contrast. Text should meet a minimum contrast ratio of 4.5:1 against its background, which is the widely used WCAG benchmark. This matters for anyone with low vision, but it also helps people reading a screen in bright sunlight or a hospital room with poor lighting.
Every meaningful image needs alt text. Photos of staff, clinic locations, or treatment illustrations should describe what's actually shown, not just repeat a filename or say 'image'. Decorative images can have empty alt tags so screen readers skip over them.
Keyboard navigation is non-negotiable. A visitor should be able to tab through menus, forms, and booking widgets without ever touching a mouse. Test this yourself: unplug the mouse and try to book an appointment using only the keyboard.
Form fields deserve extra scrutiny on healthcare sites. Ask only for what the task actually requires. A general contact form doesn't need a health card number or a detailed symptom description, and collecting that kind of information without a clear reason increases risk without adding value.
Label every field clearly and explain why information is being requested, especially for anything that touches personal health details. If a field is optional, say so. Vague or overly long forms discourage people from completing them and raise valid privacy questions.
A privacy statement should be easy to find and easy to read. Avoid dense legal language where possible, and explain in plain terms what's collected, why, how long it's kept, and who can access it. Link to it from every form that collects personal information, not just the footer.
Headings and page structure matter more than they get credit for. Proper heading order (H1, then H2, then H3) helps screen reader users understand the page layout and lets people scan content quickly when they're short on time or patience.
Video content, including provider bios or explainer clips, should have captions. This helps people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and it also helps anyone watching without sound in a waiting room or public space.
Privacy and accessibility rules for healthcare organizations vary by province and by the type of information involved. This checklist covers general good practice, not legal advice, so confirm specific compliance requirements with a privacy or legal professional familiar with your jurisdiction.
If you're building or updating a healthcare website and want a second opinion on accessibility, form design, or how information is presented, Coreventra can review the site and point out practical fixes.