Patients should be able to book without asking for help

Does the law apply to a practice or clinic?

Healthcare is not one of the service categories of the European Accessibility Act. A practice website that only informs is usually not directly covered. It can be affected when consumers conclude contracts through it, for example when they book and pay for private services online. Germany’s labour ministry, in its official guidelines on the German transposition law, counts online appointment booking as an e-commerce service (its example is a hairdresser). Whether that carries over to a medical practice, for example for treatment paid by public health insurance or when bookings run through an external platform, is not spelled out in the directive, so have it checked if in doubt; we raise it in our first call.

Two more points matter. Micro-enterprises that provide services are exempt: fewer than 10 employees and a turnover or balance sheet total of no more than EUR 2 million, which covers many small practices. And hospitals run by public bodies may fall under Directive (EU) 2016/2102 for public sector websites. The directive covers the state, regional and local authorities and bodies governed by public law as defined in the public procurement directive 2014/24/EU, broadly bodies set up to meet needs in the general interest, not of an industrial or commercial character, and mainly financed, managed or supervised by public authorities (Article 3(1) of Directive (EU) 2016/2102). Whether a given hospital meets that definition depends on who runs and funds it under national law.

The quick check gives you a first indication. Whatever the answer: people with disabilities and older patients use your website too, and a booking flow that works for them works better for everyone.