Making the Most of Your Medical Practice Website
As more and more people are becoming comfortable using the Internet to learn more about you or your practice, a well-designed medical practice website can serve as an introduction to the practice and an advertisement of services offered. At UPS Healthcare, we would like to share our recommendations for optimizing your organization and ensuring access to information for your clients.
1. Appearance: The appearance of your website is crucial. Viewers will judge the practice by the appearance of the web pages. The website should match the tone of the clinic. If your practice specializes in children, the website should reflect that.
2. Information: You should include essential information about your practice. Website visitors should be able to find out:
- Location
- Hours of operation
- Telephone and fax numbers
- Direction
- Information about services
3. Resources: Including a signup box for a newsletter or health report will encourage people to submit names and addresses. A signup form should be prominently displayed on every page of the website.
4. Staff Bios: Staff information in the form of photos, short biographies and job titles or descriptions can personalize the website. Be sure to include physician credentials and accomplishments along with those of support staff. If staff have contributed in some way to the community, this information should be on the website.
5. Links to Charities: If the practice contributes to community activities, charitable or other such activities, this information should be on the website. Consider adding links for donations to charity.
6. News: Some websites include news and notes pages where news regarding the practice is announced as well as news regarding patients. Community and school achievements are a good way to promote area goodwill and advertise the practice. Do be sure to get permission before posting photos.
7. Ads: Ideally, there should be no ads on the main pages. The website is, after all, supposed to be promoting and advertising your practice. This said, offering a page where patients who use the practice can post a link to their business may be a good idea. Consider sponsoring a community page of some type and encourage anyone from the area to use the page.
8. Additional Links: Links that lead to health information regarding general health or the specific issues addressed by the practice can prove to be useful. Patient education can be integrated into the website via an informative section of the website or links to such information.
9. FAQs: Including a “Frequently Asked Questions” area on the website is a creative way to provide information while promoting the practice. Include a form to encourage website viewers to submit questions or comments.
We understand your website can be an important part of building and maintaining your practice. Contact UPS Healthcare to learn all the ways you can bolster your practice.