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Designing an impactful hospital website

Hospital website design brings unique challenges. With copious information to share, hospitals often overwhelm visitors. Many hospital sites also use outdated designs incompatible with mobile devices. To modernize your strategy, begin by auditing your current website. Identify pain points and areas that frustrate visitors. Survey patients on their experience navigating your site.

Next, research web design best practices for the healthcare industry. Focus on improving mobile responsiveness and simplifying navigation. Organize content around user needs.

Benefits of web design standards for hospitals.

Creating Hospital Websites That Meet Patients’ Needs

Each industry has unique web design requirements. For hospitals, their sites must serve people dealing with emergencies or needing information fast before a visit.

To meet these needs, hospital websites should follow key standards:

  • Intuitive navigation for finding information quickly
  • Prominent placement of the most sought-after content
  • Full mobile responsiveness/accessibility

These factors allow hospital sites to effectively serve patients in urgent situations. Without them, people may go elsewhere when they can’t find answers fast during an emergency. When designing healthcare sites, keep patients’ high-stakes needs in mind. Follow hospital-specific best practices to create websites that provide swift access to critical information. This will enable your site to aid patients in times of crisis better.

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When designing a hospital website, focus on these best practices

 

Clear, concise navigation is crucial for hospital sites. Visitors are often in a hurry to find information during an emergency. Intuitive menus allow them to quickly access needed content. Use a streamlined top menu (5-6 main links) on the homepage. Main links can expand to logically organized submenu items. This keeps navigation simple yet comprehensive. Well-organized navigation improves user experience. It lowers bounce rates, increases time on site, and supports SEO. Effective navigation is critical for serving patients’ urgent information needs.

 

Hospital sites must be mobile-friendly with a responsive design that automatically adapts to any device. This avoids frustrating pinch-zooming and scrolling on phones when visitors need information urgently. Responsive sites dynamically resize content to display properly on all browsers and devices. This consistent experience serves patients using phones quickly to access hospital details. Investing in responsive web design future-proofs hospital sites as new devices emerge. It ensures easy access and optimal viewing on all screens to better serve patients and families on the go.

Clear contact info and personalized visual content help your website better serve patients in urgent situations. It enables them to quickly reach you and builds familiarity with your caring staff.

  • Prominently feature hours, address, phone, and email – Enable quick access in emergencies. Keep consistent across site, social, and listings.
  • Use real photos of staff and patients – Conveys personalized care vs sterile stock images.
  • Include videos touring the facility, and interviewing staff – Further humanizes your hospital.
  • Accurate visuals build trust and relationships with potential patients. Allows your hospital to stand out from competitors.

Use your website to showcase what makes your hospital stand out. Tell your brand story to connect with potential patients and build trust in your services.

  • Tell your unique story and highlight specialties – Communicate what distinguishes you from other hospitals.
  • Share community impact stories – Demonstrate your values and connections to the area.
  • Convey your brand clearly through words, visuals, and testimonials.
  • Build familiarity so people feel comfortable choosing your facility.

 

Accurate staff and treatment content showcases expertise and builds trust. Profiles introduce your doctors on a personal level. In-depth treatment pages convey your capabilities and advancements.

  • Update doctor profiles with photos, bios, specialties, and credentials.
  • Add awards, testimonials, and research to treatment pages.
  • Include videos demonstrating procedures.
  • Highlight unique offerings and innovative treatments

Make forms and personal health information readily available, you simplify processes for patients. Easy access to paperwork and records delivers convenience and efficiency.

Offer common forms easily – Add a section to the homepage or menu navigation.

  • Link forms from relevant pages – New patient forms on appointment pages.
  • Enable access to records, visits, and billing – Via a portal linked clearly on-site.
  • Build a landing page explaining portal access and use.

A high-quality, modern website design is crucial for hospital marketing. Outdated or unprofessional sites need to impress visitors. This undermines marketing efforts and loses patients. Following current web design best practices shows your hospital is skilled, reputable, and technologically advanced. Your website conveys trust and competence. Invest in a professionally designed site aligned with your brand. This fundamental marketing asset promotes your facility and attracts more satisfied patients.