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          Telehealth Telehealth
 In-person medical appointments can present unique challenges for people with disabilities, particularly if they live far from the health providers or in an area without accessible public transportation. Telehealth makes it possible to receive needed care without leaving home, which can mitigate transportation challenges and other issues created by traveling to appointments, and also can make it possible for a person to access a broader range of providers.
Telehealth is the use of electronic information and telecommunications to support long-distance clinical health care, administration, education, and public health efforts. Telehealth can utilize everything from phone calls and e-mail to streaming videos and live videoconferencing.
While telehealth has helped facilitate access to care for many people with disabilities, the introduction of technology can also create new accessibility challenges. Federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, protect the rights of people with disabilities to access electronic information technology (EIT)—including telehealth.
Federal laws, including the Americans with Disabilities Act, protect the rights of people with disabilities to access electronic information technology (EIT)—including telehealth. Guidance issued by HHS’ Office for Civil Rights notes that, "covered entities must offer people with disabilities full and equal access to the EIT they employ, unless those individuals are provided reasonable accommodations or reasonable modifications that permit them to receive all the benefits provided by the EIT in an equally effective manner."
A group of national organizations and providers, including the ACL-funded Deaf/Hard of Hearing Technology Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center, have developed recommendations to make video-based telehealth more accessible for deaf and hard-of-hearing patients.

                    *Last modified on 07/26/2020*
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