Elevating Digital Accessibility in Healthcare

Advancing Accessibility for MD Anderson Cancer Center

Overview

As Program Manager of Digital UX/UI Design at MD Anderson Cancer Center, the nation’s top healthcare institution for cancer care, I led strategic efforts to improve accessibility across the institution’s public-facing website, mdanderson.org. This work was critical to ensuring that all patients, caregivers, donors, volunteers, and users — regardless of ability — could access vital cancer care information with ease and equity.

Having previously worked on a team that was tasked with responding to a lawsuit relating to digital accessibility, I knew this was a critical matter, not just because it was the right thing to do, but because without huge strides, the institution was at great legal threat.

My Role

  • Led accessibility-first UX strategy for mdanderson.org, the institution’s most visible and high-traffic platform.
  • Collaborated closely with Level Access accessibility partners as well as web content and technology teams.
  • Served as accessibility advocate and change agent, driving adoption of WCAG-aligned design practices.

The Challenge

MDAnderson.org had an accessibility compliance score of just 54%, posing significant barriers for users relying on screen readers and other assistive technologies. The site also needed to meet legal standards (WCAG 2.1, Section 508) while maintaining a seamless experience for all users.

Process

  1. Accessibility Audit & Issue Prioritization

    • Conducted a comprehensive accessibility audit and usability heuristic evaluation using automated tools and manual testing (keyboard navigation, screen readers). 60% of issues uncovered through this project were accessibility related.
    • Identified high-impact issues related to things like color contrast,  call to action labeling, alternative text, and interactive elements.

  2. Design System Improvements

    • Made recommendations for updating web components to include accessible states and behaviors, improving issues such as button CTA structure, form accessibility, and alt text implementation.

  3. Collaboration & Enablement

    • Partnered with development teams to ensure accessible implementation across codebases.
    • Led internal workshops on accessibility basics for content creators and designers across the institution.

  4. Testing & Continuous Feedback

    • Embedded accessibility checks into the communication web review process for all digital properties.
  5. Future Looking Building of Accessibility Initiative
  • Advocated for the hiring of a direct report full time digital accessibility specialist to help with ongoing efforts.
  • Worked to come up with a strategy for addressing thousands of inaccessible PDFs on the website (digital first strategy of converting PDFs to web content where possible).

Outcome

  • Accessibility score on mdanderson.org improved from 54% to 89% within two years.
  • Reduced critical accessibility barriers across site navigation.
  • Institutionalized accessibility practices within design and development workflows, ensuring sustainable impact.

Key Takeaways

  • Accessibility improvements are most successful when integrated into system-wide design and development practices — not treated as retroactive fixes.
  • Clear training and cross-functional collaboration are critical to long-term accessibility gains.
  • Even small improvements (e.g., form labeling, focus states) can make a significant difference for users with disabilities.