Accessibility Basics for Building Telehealth Platforms

Why it matters:

• Focus is programmatically moved to the close button when the modal opens.
• The role="dialog" tells assistive tech this is a modal, not just another
  .

  Pro tip: Use focus-trapping libraries like focus-trap-react for complex modals.

  ARIA Roles and Live Regions: The Invisible Narrators

  Screen readers need play-by-play commentary for dynamic content, like incoming messages in a telehealth chat.

  The Problem:
  A patient’s chat message pops in, but the screen reader doesn’t announce it.

  The Fix: aria-live Regions

  // Chat message stream  
    
    {messages.map((msg) => (  
      
    
        {msg.sender}: {msg.text}  
      
    
    ))}  
    

  Why it matters:

  • aria-live="polite" tells the screen reader to announce updates when the user isn’t busy.
  • Use aria-live="assertive" for critical alerts (e.g., "Your session will end in 2 minutes").

  Pro tip: For real-time video controls, label icons with aria-label:

    
    {isVideoOn ? "x" : "y"}  
    

  Color Contrast and Visual Design: Not Everyone Sees Like You

  Low vision? Color blindness? Sunlight glare? Your pretty pastel UI might be a wall of mud.

  The Problem:
  Grey text on a white background (#AAA) fails WCAG contrast ratios.

  The Fix: Automated Contrast Checks

  // Use styled-components or CSS-in-JS with theme variables  
  const PrescriptionButton = styled.button`  
    background: ${(props) => props.theme.colors.primary};  
    color: ${(props) => props.theme.colors.textOnPrimary};  
    // WCAG 4.5:1 minimum contrast  
  `;  

  Verify with tools:

  • Chrome DevTools’ Accessibility Tab
  • @axe-core/react for automated testing:

  import React from 'react';  
  import { ReactDOM } from 'react-dom';  
  import axe from '@axe-core/react';  
  
  axe(React, ReactDOM, 1000); // Logs accessibility errors in dev  

  Pro tip: Add a “High Contrast” theme toggle for users with low vision.

  Form Accessibility: Where Telehealth Gets Real

  Medical history forms, prescription uploads, symptom checklists — forms are the heart of telehealth.

  The Problem:
  Unlabeled inputs are like medical charts with no patient name.

  The Fix: Proper Labels and Error Handling

  Why it matters:

  • aria-describedby links the input to its error message.
  • role="alert" makes the error announced immediately.

  Testing: The Accessibility Stress Test

  You wouldn’t skip testing payment processing. Don’t skip accessibility testing.

  Tools to use:

  1. Screen readers: NVDA (Windows), VoiceOver (Mac)
  2. Keyboard-only navigation: Try tabbing through your entire app.
  3. Linters: eslint-plugin-jsx-a11y
  4. Automated scanners: Axe, Lighthouse

  React-specific tip: Test portals and conditional renders — these often break focus management.

  The Bottom Line

  Building an accessible telehealth platform isn’t about checking compliance boxes. It’s about recognizing that your code is a stethoscope, a wheelchair ramp, a pair of reading glasses. With 26% of U.S. adults living with disabilities, inaccessible design isn’t just lazy — it’s discriminatory.

  So next time you’re coding a telehealth feature, ask: “Can someone with Parkinson’s use this? What about a blind parent managing their child’s asthma?”

  Your React components might just save a life.

  Accessibility Checklist for Telehealth Devs

  1. Semantic HTML everywhere
  2. Full keyboard navigation
  3. ARIA roles and live regions for dynamic content
  4. Minimum color contrast of 4.5:1
  5. Form fields with visible labels and aria-labels
  6. Automated + manual accessibility testing

  Now go build something that heals, not hinders!