Healthcare websites need to provide easy-to-understand information about their practice, services and products and provide information for both current patients and prospective patients. Having your own medical practice website is your first opportunity to make an impression on a new patient. It also serves as a portal for your existing patients to access important medical information.

Healthcare organizations are faced with expanded challenges as the internet becomes a vital and growing requirement for the industry. Pharmaceutical companies, providers, non-profits and caring organizations are all confronting new challenges instigated by digital media and the Internet.

Here are some features, every healthcare-related website should accomplish from patient data security to necessary content.

Accurate Contact and Location Information

This may seem obvious but having complete contact information for your office or offices is very important. Nothing is more frustrating than trying to find a phone number or address when you need to make an appointment or find directions. If you have multiple locations be sure to list the address, phone numbers and hours for each location. The more accessible this information is, the better.

Key Products and Services

Be sure to tell your visitors what services you offer. If you offer specialty services in your field, put more emphasis on those services. Not only does it tell your prospective patients what you can or cannot provide but it will help improve your search ranking for those services.

Doctor and Staff Directory

If your practice employs several doctors, a directory is a helpful tool to have on your website. Prospective patients will feel more comfortable going into your practice knowing more about their doctor than just their name. You can include information such as where they went to school, specialties, and a short bio alongside photograph.

Clear Calls-to-Action

What do you want visitors to do when they come to your website? Make sure you direct them with clear calls-to-action such as Schedule an Appointment, Find a Doctor, Contact Us, and Tour our Hospital. It can be helpful to put your “Book Appointment Online” button in a sticky header or a sidebar widget that is visible no matter where the patient is on the page. You want to make it as easy as possible for your patient to click that button and take that the next step.

Blogs

Utilize a blog on your site to share industry news, community events and announcements with your visitors. This will keep your site looking fresh and encourage your visitors to come back to see what’s new – whether that be a new procedure that you’re offering, a new doctor, updated office hours or a community event that you will be sponsoring.

Have A Simple Navigation Structure

Organize your entire site in such a way that any user can quickly understand how your site is structured. That way, users can find the information they’re looking for quickly and effectively and without seeking assistance from other people. Without a clear navigational path and organizational structure, your online visitors won’t find what they’re looking for. A site structure is supposed to be simple, intuitive, and clear. That is the core element of any minimally effective healthcare website design.