Preparing for the Future of ADA Compliance in Rehabilitation Settings

• With respect to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), there are growing expectations within the healthcare field for compliance, and that includes at rehabilitation hospitals and long-term care facilities. 
• Accessibility for disabled patients is not merely about entry, but about the entire therapy experience.
• Adhering to the letter of the ADA law is important, but what is even more relevant is the operational risks and outcomes at a medical facility. 
• While rehab equipment may be functional, rehabilitation services must be aligned with accessibility expectations.
• Rehabilitation facilities are taking measures to accommodate disabled patients more with how they set up and utilize their equipment. 
• Healthcare facilities that adapt early to the letter and the spirit of the ADA law will be better positioned in the industry for success.

---

Is your rehabilitation hospital or long-term care facility (LTC) aligned with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)? Would you conclude that your rehab treatment regimen and your equipment fall within the guidelines of the ADA? Are your patients who have disabilities receiving the full care and appropriate rehabilitation services that are compliant with the spirit of this ADA law? What would your patients at your skilled nursing facility or rehab hospital tell you about whether your equipment is meeting their disability needs?

What is the ADA & Why Does it Matter to Your Healthcare Facility?

The ADA is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all facets of daily activities, including medical services. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities on the basis of their disability in programs or activities that receive financial assistance, and this includes health programs and services.

These statutes require medical care providers – including occupational and physical therapists – to make services available in an accessible manner. For medical facilities like yours, compliance with the ADA standards is not just a legal obligation but a moral imperative to ensure all patients, regardless of their physical or cognitive abilities, have access to and are able to receive medical care without barriers. What’s more, compliance with ADA standards applies not just to your facility building but also to medical equipment used for patient care.

Many healthcare facilities assume they are already compliant with this law. Many rehab hospitals and long-term care facilities have historically struggled with compliance, typically due to aging infrastructure.

Accessibility in healthcare is evolving as rehab hospitals and LTC facilities realize that they have more work to do to adhere to the intent of the ADA standards. In fact, medical equipment accessibility is now under greater scrutiny than ever before. This is why it behooves your medical facility to ensure all aspects of treatment and the equipment being used cater to the needs of your patients with disabilities. 

Importance of Medical Equipment Accessibility at Healthcare Facilities

The U.S. Access Board’s standards for medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) provide technical criteria ensuring equipment (such as exam tables, chairs, and scales) is accessible to people with disabilities. These 2017 standards are now enforced by the Department of Justice (DOJ) for state and local governments. Details about this are available at the Access Board website.

The U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) agency requires accessible MDE for recipients of HHS funding. Most recipients must eventually have 10 percent accessible MDE, while rehab centers and physical therapy providers that specialize in mobility-related conditions must reach 20 percent. (HHS.gov)

As recently as 2024, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) finalized the first comprehensive update to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act regulations. This was the first change in 50 years. This update strengthens protections against disability discrimination. Effective July 8, 2024, this rule covers HHS-funded health and human services, requiring accessible medical equipment, digital accessibility, and prohibiting discriminatory medical treatment. More information about this rule is available at the Administration for Community Living website.

Because of this added rule to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, medical equipment accessibility at rehabilitation hospitals and other medical facilities is under much greater scrutiny. Even without full enforcement, these standards, which include this additional rule are shaping expectations at healthcare facilities that offer rehab equipment. 

Focus on Rehabilitation Equipment

This greater attention, in particular, addresses barriers that impede care for people with mobility impairments, and they include the following:

Lack of Lifts 

Missing patient lifts to assist with transferring to exam tables. 

Non-Adjustable Exam Tables

With respect to these exam tables, the U.S. Department of Justice adopted 17 inches to 19 inches in terms of the exam table being able to be lowered. However, HHS materials describe transfer surfaces adjustable from 17 inches to 25 inches. 

Non-Wheelchair Compatible Scales 

Scales that do not accommodate a patient in a wheelchair. 

What Does “Accessible Equipment” Actually Mean?

When it comes to accessible equipment, all aspects of your rehab devices and equipment must be tailor made for your patients who have disabilities. In practical terms, here are some examples.

• Lower transfer heights
• Reduced need for manual transfers
• Stable transfer supports
• Safe positioning for patients with limited mobility 
• Accommodation for bariatric patients 

Accessible equipment at rehabilitation facilities refers to diagnostic, medical, and therapeutic tools that are meant to be used independently or with minimal assistance by patients who are disabled. Your facility must ensure that these patients can enter, use, and transfer onto equipment without barriers. Under regulations such as the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, your rehab equipment has to accommodate various mobility, sensory, and physical limitations to provide equal access to healthcare. More information is available at the ADA website.

Key Aspects of Accessible Equipment at Rehab Facilities 

Transfer Aids

Availability of equipment, such as Hoyer lifts, overhead track lifts, and transfer boards, to help patients with limited mobility in moving from a wheelchair to treatment surfaces. 

Positioning and Support Tools 

Features such as adjustable support rails, straps, grab bars, and stabilizers (wedges and pillows) on equipment to offer stability during treatment. 

Specialized Therapeutic Equipment 

Health and Human Services (HHS)-funded rehabilitation centers and physical therapy providers that specialize in mobility-related conditions must eventually have 20 percent of applicable MDE accessible. (HHS.GOV)

Adjustable-Height Equipment 

Treatment tables, as well as exam tables and chairs, must be lowered to wheelchair seat height (usually 17 to 19 inches) to allow for safe, independent transfers. 

Accessible Diagnostic Imaging 

X-ray machines can accommodate patients in wheelchairs or those who are not able to stand.

Requirements of Accessible Equipment at a Healthcare Facility

In essence, for rehabilitation facilities, “accessible” translates into more than simply having the equipment. It means the equipment is available, functional, and properly used by trained staff.

Independent Access 

The objective is to enable patients who are disabled to use, get onto, and get off of equipment as independently as they are able, decreasing reliance on manual lifting by staff. 

Broad Scope 

This includes gym equipment for physical therapy, parallel bars with adjustable heights, and ADL (Activities of Daily Living) stations designed for wheelchair access. 

(More information on accessible medical diagnostic equipment is available at the ADA National Network website.)

As you can see, accessibility is not just about patient entry. It is about the total therapy experience.

The Gap Most Healthcare Facilities Don’t Know Exists

Most healthcare facilities, including skilled nursing and LTC facilities, and rehab hospitals, rely on the following for patient care:

• Multi-Device setups 
• Traditional mat tables

These typically require:

• Multiple transfers
• Increased patient handling
• Multiple staff members

There often is a disconnect that exists in what management of healthcare facilities thinks they are providing to patients with disabilities and what is actually available to this segment of their patient population. Although your rehab equipment may actually be functional and work, it may not necessarily align with evolving accessibility expectations.

Being bogged down in the daily grind and operation of your facility can leave you unaware of how effectively your rehab equipment is meeting the latest medical needs of your patients, especially those with disabilities. In theory, your devices and equipment may be meeting the general requirements of patients with disabilities, but they may not be receiving optimal results from their rehab regimens.

That is why it is vital that administrators take a second look and clearly evaluate their medical equipment to ensure that they are living up to the letter and spirit of the ADA law and are compliant with all its latest rules.

Preparing for Where the Rehab Industry is Going

Nowadays, more skilled nursing and LTC facilities, and rehab hospitals have a forward-thinking mindset. Instead of being complacent and assuming success with their rehab equipment and services, administrators at these healthcare facilities are taking steps to ensure utmost compliance with all aspects of the ADA.

Evidence of this sea change comes in the fact that healthcare facilities are starting to prioritize the following changes in their operation:

• Fewer transfers
• Multi-functional equipment
• Safer patient handling
• Adaptable configurations

Rehab facilities are increasingly prioritizing ADA compliance to ensure equal access to care, with a special focus on structural, communication, and programmatic modifications. As of late 2024 and heading into 2026, the focus has shifted toward a proactive barrier removal, especially with new ADA medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) standards taking effect. 

The Barihab™ Series of Treatment and Assessment Platforms Cater to the Needs of Patients with Disabilities

Barihab™’s platforms are designed with accessibility-minded features, including adjustable-height surfaces, transfer supports, bariatric accommodation, and reduced need for repeated transfers. While facilities should always evaluate equipment against their specific ADA and Section 504 obligations, Barihab™’s design naturally aligns with many of the accessibility principles reflected in current medical equipment standards.

You can be assured that when you purchase Barihab™ equipment for your rehab facility, it will be disability-patient friendly. Among the features that come with our best-in-market rehab equipment that ensure compliance with the ADA are the following:

• Ability to treat patients without repeated transfers
• Adjustable height platforms
• Accommodation for a wide range of body types, including bariatric patients
• Multi-function use in a single system 
• Built-in transfer supports

These features and aspects of tools and equipment manufactured by Therapeutic Industries bring about these enhanced benefits for your patients:

• Safer patient handling
• Reduced therapist strain 
• More controlled, accessible therapy environment

These Barihab™ features are designed for superior patient outcomes and naturally align with accessibility expectations. 

Future-Proofing Your Medical Facility

The initial step to future-proofing your healthcare facility is to encourage proactive thinking. Don’t wait for government or industry mandates to make necessary changes to better accommodate patients who have disabilities. Also, always evaluate your rehab equipment through an accessibility lens.

Frame every strategic decision at your medical facility or rehabilitation hospital in the following ways:

1. Compliance readiness
2. Competitive advantage
3. Risk reduction 

Accessibility is a Standard, not an Upgrade 

Consider the following ideas as you purchase rehab equipment for your healthcare facility:

• Accessibility is becoming part of baseline care expectations.
• Equipment decisions made today will impact compliance tomorrow. 
• Facilities that adapt early will be better positioned. 

Keep in mind that the question is no longer whether accessibility standards will matter, but whether your facility is ready when they do.