10 Key Elements Patients Want from a Healthcare Website

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10 Key Elements Patients Want from a Healthcare
Website
More than ever, patients and potential patients
are looking for healthcare information online,
and if your website is up to date, easy to use,
and packed with clear and comprehensive
information, you stand to gain traffic,
visibility, and customers. But if it is not, you
risk not only losing traction in search engine
rankings, but also making a bad impression,
losing the trust of patients, and turning off new
customers. Websites are complex entities, and
they do or should do more than just provide a
list of services and a way to find key phone
numbers. The look and feel of your website may be
as important as the way your office looks from
the street you wouldnt expect a weedy lot with
peeling paint to instill confidence in patients,
so why would a slow, outdated, or confusing
website make patients feel good about the level
of medical care you can provide? They are very
much the same. Luckily, meeting the expectations
of your customers is not an impossible task. Here
are the top 10 elements that patients expect from
a medical website, and how you can meet
them. Use a responsive design to ensure mobile
accessibility Years ago, mobile device use
surpassed traditional desktop or laptop computer
use, and while website design itself is typically
done on a desktop unit, its critical to keep in
mind that most of your visitors will be accessing
your website on their phones. This means that
healthcare websites must be accessible and
functional on smartphones and tablets. A
responsive design ensures that the website adapts
seamlessly to different screen sizes, providing a
consistent and optimal user experience across
various devices. Mobile accessibility is not just
a convenience its
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a necessity for reaching a broader audience in
todays mobile-centric world. Include patient
portals for personalized interactions Patients
value personalized interactions with their
healthcare providers. A patient portal on a
medical website allows individuals to access
their health records, view test results, and
communicate securely with their healthcare team.
It can also help patients to book appointments
and pay bills. This feature enables patients to
actively participate in their healthcare, saves
them time, and prevents a lot of headaches. Plus,
patient portals contribute to a more efficient
exchange of information between patients and
healthcare providers, meaning that in many cases,
what would have been a face-to-face visit can be
handled with a short, simple email. Post
educational resources and multimedia
content Sure, patients go to your site for phone
numbers, addresses, and hours of operation. But
beyond that basic information, patients look for
and appreciate educational resources that help
them to make informed decisions about their
health and stay current with trends in medical
technology and care options. Top medical websites
should include multimedia content such as videos,
infographics, and animations to enhance the
understanding of complex medical concepts.
Educational content helps demystify medical
terminology and procedures, making it more
accessible and engaging for patients, and
offering a way for you to advertise services and
treatments to customers. Promote your security
and privacy assurances
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Health information is sensitive not just to
regulatory authorities but to patients
themselves. Patients prioritize the security and
privacy of their data when interacting with
medical websites. Your website must comply with
relevant healthcare data protection regulations
and has to employ robust security measures that
safeguard patient information at all costs. Clear
and transparent privacy policies should be
communicated to reassure patients that their data
is handled responsibly. Include testimonials and
patient reviews Many patients look closely at
patient reviews to learn about providers and to
get a sense for how other patients like the care
and service. This can also extend to reviews of
facilities, billing, and more. Including patient
testimonials and positive reviews on the medical
website can build trust and credibility. It
humanizes the healthcare experience, assuring
prospective patients that they are in capable and
compassionate hands. Integrate with social media
platforms Social media is now a powerful tool
for communication and information sharing, and
your patients rely on it for everything from
customer reviews to finding out your offices
location and hours. Further, social media sites
are quickly becoming as popular for online
searching as actual search engines. Patients
expect medical websites to be integrated with
social media platforms, which will allow them to
stay connected and informed. Social media
channels provide an additional avenue for
healthcare providers to share relevant content,
engage with patients, and address queries. These
are valuable tools for building an online
community and fostering patient-provider
relationships.
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Regularly update your content Healthcare is
dynamic, and new research, treatments, and
technologies emerge regularly. While many
patients will search Google to learn about new
findings and treatment options, making that
information available on your website builds
trust and credibility. Patients expect medical
websites to provide up-to-date and relevant
content. Regularly updating your website with the
latest information demonstrates a commitment to
excellence and keeps patients informed about
advancements in healthcare. Additionally, fresh
content contributes to better search engine
visibility, helping patients discover the website
when searching for health-related
information. Ensure online booking is easy and
hassle-free Seeking medical care is enough of a
pain for most people the last thing you should
be doing is making the scheduling process
difficult. Patients want and will appreciate easy
online appointment booking. Telemedicine
integration for virtual consultations Telemedicin
e became a thing during the COVID-19 pandemic,
and its here to stay. Patients want a platform
that permits virtual consultations, allowing them
to easily take care of follow-up appointments,
routine check-ups, and non-emergency care. A
user-friendly interface for virtual appointments
and clear instructions on how to access
telemedicine services will enhance the
accessibility and convenience of your
practice. Interactive symptom checker and
decision support tools
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Patients often turn to the internet to understand
and assess their symptoms. Including interactive
symptom checkers and decision support tools on a
medical website can be immensely beneficial.
These tools guide patients through a series of
questions to help them understand the potential
causes of their symptoms and provide
recommendations for the next steps, such as
seeking immediate medical attention or scheduling
a routine appointment. While not a substitute for
professional medical advice, these tools empower
patients to make informed decisions about when to
seek care. Conclusion Patients want and expect
a lot from healthcare practice websites is
yours up to the task? Meeting these expectations
not only enhances patient satisfaction but also
contributes to building a strong and positive
online presence for healthcare providers. By
prioritizing clear communication, accessibility,
security, and ongoing engagement, medical
websites can become invaluable tools in
empowering patients to take control of their
health. Ensuring these 10 important features are
on your website may take a concerted effort,
which is where a dedicated healthcare marketing
company like Practice Builders can help you build
a comprehensive and integrated website
optimization plan that helps grow revenue and
attract patients.