Article By About Travis Schneider, Co-founder and Chief Corporate Development Officer for Tebra, a leader in practice automation solutions for independent healthcare practices.
Amid the country’s current healthcare crisis that’s progressed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, digital care has become only more critical. Now, the first touchpoint many healthcare professionals have with their patients is their websites.
To ensure the most effective communication and optimal experience with your patients, implement these best practices to make your website accessible, informative, and user-friendly.
Speed it up
A fast-loading website is essential in today’s digital age. A speedy site ranks higher in search engine results, supporting good search engine optimization (SEO) and making your healthcare practice more visible to those who need your services. Search engines like Google consider site speed to be a significant factor in determining page rankings.
Speed matters to your site visitors, too. According to one survey, 47% of consumers expect a web page to load in two seconds or less. A delay of even a second can result in a significant drop in user satisfaction. An efficient and fast website keeps visitors engaged, lessens wait time, and enhances the overall user experience.
Ensure visual consistency
Visual consistency on your website fosters trust and familiarity with users. A few ways you can ensure visual consistency include:
- A uniform, simple color scheme that aligns with your brand identity
- Consistent fonts and typography throughout your site
- Cohesive visual elements, such as buttons, icons, and images
Visual consistency enhances the overall aesthetic of your website, facilitates easy navigation, and makes your brand appear professional.
Optimize your website for all devices
Today’s internet users access websites from desktops, laptops, tablets, and smartphones. Your website must render seamlessly across each of these device types. An optimized, responsive website delivers an excellent user experience regardless of how it is accessed.
The importance of device optimization cannot be overstated, as many individuals rely on mobile devices to access health information. For example, Oberlo reports that the percentage of web traffic from mobile is up 5%, from 51% in 2022 to 56% in 2023. Neglecting this aspect can result in a frustrating user experience and even lose your site visitors.
To ensure your site is optimized for all devices, employ responsive design techniques, regularly test your site on different devices, and use tools such as Google’s mobile-friendly test to evaluate your progress.
Make your site easy to read
Readability is a crucial factor in the user experience. A website that is easy to parse helps your audience quickly and effortlessly absorb the information you provide. Furthermore, Hubspot indicates that close to 40% of usersquickly search for a navigation menu when visiting a website. A few tips to make your website more readable include:
- Use clear, simple language and avoid excessive medical jargon
- Break up text into smaller paragraphs and use headers for easy scanning
- Use bullet points or numbered lists to present information concisely
- Choose fonts and colors that are easy to read and contrast enough to be clear for those who may have low vision
Along with these, relevant images and infographics can make your content even easier to read and understand. The right text and visual content balance can significantly improve the user experience.
Offer a patient portal
A patient portal is an invaluable addition to any medical practice’s website due to the multitude of benefits it offers to patients. It provides a convenient platform for patients to download necessary intake forms, enabling them to complete paperwork in advance and save time during their visit. Additionally, the portal enhances patient engagement by enabling them to access their medical records, test results, and treatment plans securely from any location. By incorporating a patient portal, you can significantly enhance patient satisfaction and improve overall efficiency in delivering high-quality healthcare services.
Implement clear navigation
Website navigation is a user’s roadmap for your website content. It allows them to explore and find the information they need quickly and easily. Without straightforward, intuitive navigation, your website visitors may get lost or frustrated, leading to a poor user experience.
Navigation should be straightforward and intuitive. A good rule of thumb is that any information on your site should be reachable within 3 clicks from the homepage. Use descriptive labels for your menu items and ensure that the most important information — including who you are, what services you offer, and how to contact you — is easily accessible.
Site search functionality is another vital element of website navigation. A robust search makes it easier for users to find specific information without having to navigate through numerous pages.
Follow best practices
Following these best practices for your healthcare website can significantly enhance your online presence, improve your user experience, and ultimately result in higher conversion rates. A well-designed, user-friendly website represents your healthcare practice online and demonstrates your commitment to patient service and care.
Remember that maintaining a high-quality website requires regular audits, updates, and improvements in the ever-evolving digital landscape. By staying current with best practices, you can ensure your website remains an effective and valuable resource for your patients and other site visitors.
Travis Schneider is Co-founder and Chief Corporate Development Officer for Tebra, a leader in practice automation solutions for independent healthcare practices. In his role, Travis oversees M&A and strategic partnerships for the organization.
