Like many other entities, healthcare service providers need to have an online presence. Nearly every hospital and diagnostic center have a website and app these days. However, developing websites for healthcare entities like clinics or hospitals is not exactly a cakewalk. It is not only about providing certain types of services, but these entities have to deal with people coping with a considerable amount of stress and anxiety. People access the Healthcare websites for myriads of needs, including seeking clinical information, booking appointments, getting documents for an insurance claim filing, and so on. In short, designing websites for healthcare entities can be quite challenging.

The best ways to develop websites for healthcare service providers

Listed here are some aspects that need special attention for developing websites for healthcare entities:

• Soothing colors and clean layout

  – If you check out websites of the top hospitals and specialty clinics, you will find one common design element. These websites do not have bright or fluorescent colored visuals and backdrops. Most healthcare entity sites have muted, pastel shades for background like light blue, green, and white. This is certainly not without reason. People seek hospitalization or clinical services when they are physically ill or mentally disturbed. Using bright, vibrant colors in these websites will enhance their level of agitation. Soothing, pastel shades in the websites help in calming the mind. Such a site also needs to have a clean layout. Any visual clutter or unwanted element is not desirable.

• Smooth navigation

  – The website of a clinic or hospital must have easy navigation. The users should be able to locate required information within a few clicks or taps of a finger. They should not have to fumble through layers of menus and submenus. The buttons should be easy to locate and use. The fact is many such users may be in critical conditions, and they need fast, hassle-free access to clinical services. 

• Mobile optimized design

  – This is what many businesses deploy in their websites, and for a healthcare service provider, it is a prerequisite. A lot of people seeking medical treatment or appointment with physicians use their mobile devices. So, the websites of healthcare entities have to be mobile optimized. Customers are likely to use different types of devices to access such websites. The websites should not take a long time to load on the devices, regardless of the screen size and OS used. 

• Well organized content

  – The content in a healthcare service provider site must be well organized. Priority must be given to information that is needed the most by the target users. So, every page must have the contact info clearly visible, along with the emergency helpline number, email, and location details. The provision for a live chat should be there on the site as well. The contact information should be in legible fonts and contrasting colors with the page background. 

• Simple, fluid tone of content

  – The content used in a healthcare entity site has to be easy to read and possess a fluid tone. It is necessary to understand that different types of people will access the site. Not all of them can be well versed in clinical jargon and terminologies. So, it is better not to use many abbreviations in the site content or typical clinical terms. The content must be informative and easy to understand at the same time. 

• Images and videos

  –It is necessary to use quality images and videos on medical service websites. For people hailing from non-clinical backgrounds, the clear pictures and video elements convey the messages better than words! Use professionally shot, high-resolution pictures optimized for web usage in such sites. It may also be nice to use slideshows and flowcharts to describe certain medical procedures. You can also use video testimonials or a video tour of the premises, showing the doctors and staff. 

• Highlight the USPs

  – In the hospital or clinic website, the focus should be on the USP or distinctive facilities the patients get. For example, you can mention if the facility adheres to environmentally friendly practices like solar power usage and rainwater harvesting. Suppose the entity has received an award for offering quality medical service that needs a mention in the site’s ”About Us” section. Similarly, it is necessary to focus on physicians who have received awards and special honors for their achievements—these help in winning the trust of the potential patients. 

• Online Security protocols

  – A hospital or clinic has to deal with a huge number of patients all over the year. They have to store and use the data of all the patients. Besides, they need to deal with clinical data, payment-related data, etc. Handling such a huge amount of important data needs security coverage. So, a healthcare website should have adequate security protocols in place. There should be differential access levels for the visitors and facility staff. Secure payment provisions have to be in place as well.

• Clarity on billing-

  This is a vital aspect for developing medical entity sites. The billing section should include the mention of the applicable charges and taxes clearly. If specific types of patients such as senior citizens, army personnel, or those in the medical fraternity are entitled to discounts or subsidized bills that need a clear mention in the billing section of the site. The procedure for applying for insurance coverage is something that needs inclusion under this section. 

• Easy registration process-

  Before visiting a hospital or clinic, the patients usually have to register themselves online. This process must be as smooth and straightforward as possible. The patients should be able to complete the registration online without having to furnish oodles of personal information. 

• Grievances and feedbacks section

  – A healthcare entity website must have a section dedicated to handling grievances and feedbacks of the visitors. This helps in getting a response from the viewers, and by incorporating their inputs, user experience enhancement becomes possible. 

Summing it up

While developing websites for medical service providers, the focus should be on the priority and needs of the end-users, that is, target patients. A healthcare website needs precise and important information in place, presented in a simple manner. Ease of usage is important in this regard, as is security.