Accessibility Statement

Our Commitment to Accessibility

Citizens Medical Center is committed to ensuring that our website and digital services are accessible to everyone, including individuals with disabilities. We believe that all patients, visitors, and community members should have equal access to our healthcare information and services.

We are continually improving the user experience for everyone and applying the relevant accessibility standards to ensure we provide equal access to all of our users.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)

We aim to conform to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA standards. These guidelines explain how to make web content more accessible for people with disabilities and are organized around four principles:

Accessibility Features of This Website

We have implemented the following features to enhance accessibility:

• Alternative text for images to convey meaning to screen reader users
• Keyboard navigation support for users who cannot use a mouse
• Clear heading structure to help users navigate content
• Sufficient color contrast between text and background colors
• Descriptive link text that makes sense out of context
• Consistent navigation throughout the website
• Form labels and instructions to help users complete forms
• Responsive design that works on various devices and screen sizes
• Skip navigation links to allow users to bypass repetitive content

Assistive Technology Support

Our website is designed to be compatible with assistive technologies, including:

• Screen readers (such as JAWS, NVDA, VoiceOver, and TalkBack)
• Screen magnification software
• Speech recognition software
• Alternative keyboards and input devices
• Browser-based accessibility tools and extensions

If you experience difficulty using our website with your assistive technology, please contact us so we can work to resolve the issue.

Physical Facility Accessibility

Our hospital and clinical facilities are designed to be accessible to individuals with disabilities:

• Wheelchair-accessible entrances, hallways, and restrooms
• Accessible parking spaces near entrances
• Elevators for multi-floor access
• Accessible examination rooms and patient areas
• Visual and auditory emergency alerts
• Wayfinding signage in accessible formats

Communication Accommodations

We provide auxiliary aids and services to ensure effective communication:

• Qualified sign language interpreters
• Written materials in alternative formats (large print, Braille upon request)
• TTY/TDD services for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing
• Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) services
• Assistive listening devices
• Language interpretation services for patients with limited English proficiency

Our Ongoing Efforts

We are committed to continuous improvement in accessibility. Our efforts include:

• Regular accessibility audits of our website and facilities
• Staff training on disability awareness and accommodation procedures
• Integration of accessibility considerations into new projects and renovations
• Monitoring and addressing user feedback regarding accessibility
• Staying current with evolving accessibility standards and best practices

Known Limitations

While we strive to ensure that all pages and content are fully accessible, some content may not yet fully conform to accessibility standards. We are actively working to address these issues:

• Some older PDF documents may not be fully accessible; we are working to remediate these
• Third-party content or applications may have accessibility limitations
• Some video content may not yet have captions or audio descriptions

If you encounter an accessibility barrier, please contact us and we will provide the information in an alternative format or work to resolve the issue.

Accessibility Feedback

We welcome your feedback on the accessibility of our website and facilities. Please let us know if you encounter any accessibility barriers or have suggestions for improvement.

Your feedback helps us identify areas for improvement and ensures that we can better serve all members of our community.