When you have an illness or injury, you don’t want to be using more brain power than necessary to navigate a healthcare website. You want to easily find the information you’re looking for to learn more about your health, make appointments, provide payments, and perform other tasks.

A simple, easy-to-use healthcare website doesn’t happen by chance. It takes a skilled web developer who understands user experience (UX) and prioritizes it in every feature decision. Often, it’s most noticeable in these trends and features:

Simplified Navigation

Whether you’re receiving mesothelioma treatment, feeling generally unwell, or recovering from an injury, it should be straightforward to find the right button to push to perform the task you need.

Most experienced web designers will prioritize simplified navigation. This means they provide clear pathways for high-intent tasks that most people will visit a healthcare site for, such as finding contact information, making an appointment, or learning more about available doctors.

Mobile-First Design

At least half of people visiting healthcare websites do so on mobile devices. Therefore, a mobile-friendly design is important. Web designers are increasingly making it straightforward to view results, book appointments, access health information, and find healthcare providers on their smartphones, all without navigating clunky design elements. They achieve this through fast load times, large tap targets, short intake fields, and clutter-free menus with clear headings and direct search bars.

Accessible, Inclusive Design

Healthcare websites should be accessible to all users, regardless of ability. Accessible design ensures that aging populations, patients under stress, and those with disabilities can make appointments, read healthcare information, and access contact details. Several features become important in ensuring accessibility, such as:

• High-contrast color ratios
• Plain language copy
• Keyboard and screen-reader compatibility
• Large touch targets
• Descriptive alternative text on images and icons
• Resilient scaling

All public-entity websites and mobile apps, as well as clinicians and healthcare entities that receive federal funding from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), must comply with the ADA and HHS accessibility rules.

Human-Centered Content

Trying to learn more about your health condition or injury shouldn’t be overwhelming. You should be able to comprehend what you’re reading. When healthcare websites provide health resources, they should be written in plain language, without medical jargon.

It’s also helpful if they have FAQs and concise explanations. The goal is to ensure that anyone trying to learn more about a range of subjects can understand the concepts in what they’re reading without further research.

Data Security and Trust Signals

The healthcare sector is one of the most frequently targeted by cybercriminals. They choose healthcare because it stores lucrative data, often has vulnerable legacy systems, and typically suffers significant disruption if hacked or otherwise targeted.

While it may not be entirely possible to avoid becoming the target of cybercrime, healthcare service providers can prioritize patient safety and security by enhancing data security. At a minimum, websites can include HIPAA-compliant architecture, such as:

• Web application firewalls to filter out malicious traffic and block injection attacks
• Public web server layers to separate standard informational pages from databases containing sensitive information
• Isolated database layers with sensitive data protected behind internal firewalls, hidden from public internet exposure

There are also a number of straightforward technical controls to implement, including:

• Data encryption
• Role-based access control
• Audit logging to note every user login
• Third-party sanitization to strip tracking pixels

Web designers can also help build trust by including plenty of trust signals, such as:

• Encryption badges
• Clear privacy policies
• Credentials and professional affiliations
• Case studies and outcomes
• Clear ratings
• Secure SSL certificates

Fast Performance

When you’re in a state of high stress, you don’t want to be waiting a long time for pages to load. You also don’t want to encounter errors or sluggish design elements. Fast performance is integral to a high-performing healthcare website.

Most experienced website designers achieve this through lightweight pages, optimized images, and responsive layouts. The goal is for all web users, whether on a mobile connection or on WiFi, to quickly access the content they need.

 

There’s more to web design than an aesthetically pleasing site. Websites must also be responsive, accessible by all, and easy to read with simple navigation. Fortunately, a number of modern design trends and elements are making it easier than ever to design healthcare websites that meet these criteria and deliver a more positive overall patient experience.