Key Features of Healthcare Website Design

It is no secret that a website is one of the most important marketing and communication instruments for any healthcare organization. Statistics show that more than 76% of people use the Web to search for a private clinic or hospital, and more than 30% of patients regularly check doctor reviews/ratings to find the right physician. Today, websites are much more than a checkmark on the healthcare practice’s to-do list. 

In light of the recent COVID-19 outbreak and quarantine measures, the importance of having a high-quality website for every medical practice, a small clinic, or hospital becomes even more evident. This is what can provide patients with on-demand online services, and maintain a solid patient base. And this is how top private practices usually communicate their brand and connect with patients. In this article, we will talk about essential elements and features that modern clinics and healthcare website design should have in order to stay competitive. So let’s get started!

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Planning Healthcare and Hospital Websites

So you have decided to create a site for your healthcare facility or hospital. What’s next? First, let’s do some thinking. Obviously, this kind of site is typically visited by individuals in some distress. These people do not have time to solve puzzles and discover the secrets of your digital masterpiece. They have come here to find a solution to their health issue. Typically, it comes down to accomplishing the following tasks:

1. Find the provider and get appropriate treatment
2. Retrieve health information (test results, medical records, etc.)
3. Pay for the services received

Now, let’s take a look at some of the top players in the healthcare market:

Johns Hopkins Medicine

Cleveland Clinic

Mayo Clinic

What do they have in common? The answer is simple: as a user, you can easily navigate any of them and accomplish your medical goals. So after conducting thorough research, we have collected some of the key features, must-have elements, and UI/UX practices that the top healthcare organizations apply to their sites.

Read more: DESIGNING POWERFUL NARRATIVES: BEST PRACTICES FOR BETTER UI/UX

Key Features for Healthcare Websites

• Loading speed

It is always great to have a beautiful website design. But if it is so heavy that it takes centuries to load, you could be losing lots of patients. The thing is that people coming to healthcare websites are impatient. They are here to find an urgent solution to their health problems. This means that you have no more than 5-7 seconds before you lose them if they cannot find what they need! In this light, speed is definitely a critical feature that a healthcare site should offer to its users.

• Client referrals

A clinic website should encourage and promote client referrals. In the U.S., people got used to writing and reading referrals. Many patients are coming from customer-to-customer referrals. As a result, a medical practice can anticipate about 20% more in profits from referred clients. Referrals ensure continuing customer loyalty by positively representing your services and practice. Besides, this is a very convenient and cost-effective method to create your patient base (of course, it works only if your patients are proud to recommend your site and your services).

• Responsiveness

This element holds the utmost significance for all modern digital products, including healthcare and clinic websites. When a user opens your site searching for medical information, it should be able to quickly adapt to whatever screen size and the resolution he or she is viewing it on. Providing an optimal UX design on smartphones, tablets, and computers will ensure your healthcare facility’s positive brand image.

• Testimonials:

Patients can be great brand ambassadors by promoting the positive image of your clinic via testimonials. Undoubtedly, we all trust a physician’s advice/judgments. However, sometimes we also want to hear what other patients think of their treatment experiences and outcomes. What is it like to be your patient? Allow your patients to submit their testimonials to broadcast your media brand to anyone using your website.

• HIPAA compliance

Failure to have HIPAA compliance measures in place can prove costly. That is why careful consideration of HIPAA is critical at every stage of the healthcare website development process. 

• Search capabilities and navigation

Studies show that a fixed navigation bar can decrease patient browsing time by up to 25%. From this perspective, a navigation bar that follows the user enables him or her to more easily find the medical information. Adding a movable navigation bar is a great idea for your healthcare website.

• Instant chat

Did you know that the majority of customers prefer to use live chat on healthcare websites? This feature can improve your onboarding experience by helping your users communicate in real-time. 

• Background animations and videos

This element stands for the dynamic quality of your website. You might demonstrate the service your clinic provides or depict positive provisor-patient interaction.

• Connection & Warmth

It is rather a secondary feature. Numerous healthcare websites use white color palette probably to add some kind of sterile feel. Consider using more warm tones to create an inviting mood and making your site feel more welcoming and comfortable to users.

Read more: BEST ANIMATION TECHNIQUES FOR YOUR WEBSITE DESIGN

Key Takeaways

The healthcare industry undergoes rapid digital transformation. Carefully planning your healthcare site will ensure that it will stay healthy in the modern digital landscape. Furthermore, it will give your clients the motivation to visit your healthcare organization. At Loonar Studios, we provide affordable healthcare web design and development services to help you meet your business needs. Contact us right now if you need any help. Wash your hands and stay safe!