Educational Resource

Disability Access Is
Dermatologic Care

Dermatology depends on seeing, communicating, touching, positioning, photographing, explaining, and following up. For patients with disabilities, each of these steps can create barriers when clinics are not designed with accessibility in mind. DermAbility is an educational resource focused on disability-inclusive dermatology care, with practical tools for patients, caregivers, students, and clinicians.

For Patients & Caregivers For Clinicians
Why This Matters

Access goes far beyond ramps and parking spaces

Disability access in dermatology includes communication for Deaf and hard-of-hearing patients, screen-reader-friendly portals for blind and low-vision patients, adjustable exam tables for patients with mobility disabilities, and sensory-aware visits for patients with developmental disabilities. Dermatology care is not fully accessible until every patient can communicate, understand, and participate meaningfully in their own care.

Legal Foundation

Under ADA effective communication rules, covered entities must provide auxiliary aids and services when needed so that people with vision, hearing, or speech disabilities can communicate effectively: receiving information from and conveying information to the entity. Access is a legal obligation, not just a clinical courtesy.

Practical resources for every role

Whether you're a patient preparing for a visit, a clinician building a more inclusive practice, a student learning, or a researcher identifying gaps: DermAbility is built for you.

For Patients & Caregivers

Questions to ask before a dermatology visit, accommodation request guidance, and accessible skin exam preparation tips.

Explore resources

For Clinicians & Clinic Teams

Checklists for scheduling, rooming, communication, examination, procedures, prescriptions, and follow-up.

View checklist

For Students & Trainees

Background on disability access in dermatology and approaches to making clinical learning more inclusive.

Learn more

For Researchers & Advocates

Source-based summaries, identified gaps in care, and opportunities for disability-access research in dermatology.

See the research
Disability Access Topics

Explore by disability type

Each section covers dermatology-specific barriers, source-based guidance, patient and clinic checklists, and language recommendations.

Deaf & Hard-of-Hearing Access

Communication access, interpreter rights, ADA effective communication, and accessible dermatology visit preparation for Deaf and hard-of-hearing patients.

Blind & Low-Vision Access

Accessible patient portals, verbal descriptions of findings, adapted skin self-exams, and screen-reader-compatible materials.

Mobility Disability

Adjustable exam tables, accessible room layouts, transfer planning, adapted positioning, and skin issues that intersect with mobility disability.

Cognitive, Developmental & Sensory

Plain language, sensory-aware environments, visit preparation, trauma-informed communication, and caregiver collaboration.
About This Project

A student-led initiative in dermatology access

DermAbility was co-founded by Mihir Shah, a medical student at Stanford University School of Medicine, and Amani Shah, a medical student at UC San Diego School of Medicine, to make dermatology care more accessible for patients with disabilities.

Meet the co-founders