Thursday, May 12 | 2:00 - 4:00 pm ET
Register for the webinar
The U.S. Access Board will hold a virtual public information meeting on accessible medical diagnostic equipment (MDE) and the adjustability of transfer surfaces for patients who use wheelchairs on May 12, 2022 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m. (ET). The Board is hosting this meeting to gather information on the minimum heights that MDE with transfer surfaces, including examination tables and chairs and diagnostic imaging medical equipment with tables, can be adjusted to accommodate the broadest range of users.
The Board will use this information to assess specifications for transfer surfaces in its MDE Accessibility Standards. Published in January 2017, these standards address various features of MDE, including the range of adjustability of transfer surfaces. In the rulemaking, there was a lack of consensus on what the low height for transfer surfaces should be, and the Board specified a temporary range of 17 – 19 inches with a sunset provision to allow time for further study.
In the upcoming meeting, the Board seeks additional information on the low transfer height for MDE transfer surfaces from disability advocates, manufacturers of MDE, researchers, and other stakeholders and interested parties. Specifically, the Board is interested in information on low transfer heights for adjustable MDE products that are currently on the market and any changes or innovations in their design and engineering that may have occurred since the Board issued its MDE standards. Additionally, the Board seeks information on the incremental costs for the design or redesign and manufacture of examination tables and chairs and diagnostic imaging medical equipment with tables that can provide a low transfer height of 17 inches.
For further information, email Bobby Stinnette or call (202) 272-0021. Communication access via real-time translation and Sign Language interpretation will be provided.
The Access Board is an independent federal agency that promotes equality for people with disabilities through leadership in accessible design and the development of accessibility guidelines and standards. The Board develops and maintains design criteria for the built environment, transit vehicles, information and communication technology, and medical diagnostic equipment under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and other laws. It also provides technical assistance and training on these requirements and on accessible design, and continues to enforce accessibility standards that apply to federally funded facilities under the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA).