SPRINGFIELD, ILL. — This is an official press release from the U.S. Department of Justice (Civil Rights - Disability Rights Section), published as received.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Department of Justice announced today it has entered into a settlement agreement with the Springfield Clinic (Clinic) to resolve alleged violations of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Under the agreement, the Springfield Clinic must make its website, patient portals, and mobile applications accessible for patients with visual and manual impairments. Patients receiving medical care from the Clinic rely on its online services to access personal medical information, review test results, communicate with healthcare providers, and pay bills. The agreement requires the Clinic to conform its online services to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), Version 2.1, Level AA. WCAG is a set of industry guidelines for making online information accessible to users with disabilities, particularly those with visual and manual impairments.
“People with disabilities must be able to access their personal medical information just like any other patient and without sacrificing their privacy or independence,” said U.S. Attorney Gregory K. Harris. “We commend the Springfield Clinic’s cooperation and commitment to make its online services fully accessible. We encourage all healthcare providers in the Central District of Illinois to review their online services to ensure they are fully accessible.”
The settlement resolves an ADA complaint filed with the Department of Justice alleging that a patient with a visual impairment was unable to access their medical information online or pay a bill. According to the complaint, the patient had to call the Clinic and have personal medical information read over the phone. Without admitting to violating the ADA, the Clinic also agreed to a monetary payment to the complainant to fully resolve the matter.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Joshua I. Grant represented the government during the investigation and settlement process. The ADA requires that places of public accommodation like healthcare providers offer people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from their services, programs, and activities. The settlement is part of the Civil Rights Division’s Tech Equity Initiative to combat disability discrimination that occurs through technology, such as in websites and mobile apps. For more information about the ADA, please visit www.ada.gov, or call the Department of Justice’s toll-free ADA information line at 800-514-0301 (TTY 833-610-1264). Information about filing a complaint, including instructions for filing a complaint online, can be found at www.civilrights.justice.gov.
