12 Things Every Medical Practice Website Needs in 2026

Your website is often the first impression patients have of your practice. Before they call, before they walk through your door, they’re forming opinions based on what they see online.

A dated, clunky, or incomplete website doesn’t just look bad—it costs you patients. People make snap judgments. If your website feels unprofessional, they assume your practice is too.

But what does a good medical practice website actually need? Not the nice-to-haves, but the essentials—the elements that make the difference between a website that converts visitors into patients and one that sends them to your competitors.

Here are the 12 things every medical practice website needs in 2026.

1. Mobile-First Design

This isn’t optional anymore. It’s table stakes.

More than 60% of healthcare searches happen on mobile devices. If your website doesn’t work flawlessly on phones, you’re invisible to the majority of potential patients.

What mobile-first means:

Fast loading: Under 3 seconds on mobile networks
Touch-friendly: Buttons and links easy to tap
Readable text: No pinching and zooming required
Simplified navigation: Easy to find what you need
Click-to-call: Phone numbers that dial when tapped

How to check: Pull up your website on your phone right now. Try to find your phone number and call. Try to find your services. Try to schedule an appointment. If any of that is frustrating, patients feel it too.

The test that matters: Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test (search for it) will tell you if your site passes basic mobile requirements. But passing the test isn’t enough—actually use your site on a phone regularly.

2. HIPAA-Compliant Contact Forms

Every medical practice website needs a way for patients to reach you. But contact forms that collect health information must be HIPAA compliant.

What HIPAA-compliant forms require:

Encryption: Data encrypted in transit (HTTPS required)
Secure storage: Form submissions stored securely
Access controls: Only authorized staff can view submissions
Business Associate Agreement: If using third-party form services

Common mistakes:

Using basic contact form plugins without security
Form submissions going to regular email (not encrypted)
No BAA with form service providers
Asking for detailed health information without proper security

Best practice: Keep public-facing forms simple (name, phone, general inquiry). For detailed health information, use your patient portal or secure messaging within your EHR.

Learn more about HIPAA compliance

3. Online Scheduling Integration

Patients expect to book appointments online. Practices that offer it get more appointments.

Options for online scheduling:

EHR-integrated scheduling: Direct booking into your practice management system
Third-party schedulers: Tools like Zocdoc, Solv, or dedicated scheduling software
Request forms: Not true scheduling, but better than nothing

What good online scheduling includes:

Real-time availability
New patient vs. existing patient options
Appointment type selection
Insurance information collection
Confirmation and reminders

The conversion impact: Practices with online scheduling typically see 20-30% more appointment requests. Patients who can book at 10 PM don’t have to remember to call during business hours.

4. Provider Profiles and Credentials

Patients want to know who will be treating them. Provider profiles build trust before the first visit.

What to include:

Professional photo: High-quality, approachable headshot
Education and training: Medical school, residency, fellowships
Board certifications: Current certifications and specialties
Experience: Years in practice, areas of focus
Personal touches: Appropriate personal information (hobbies, family, philosophy of care)

Why it matters: Patients research their doctors. If they can’t find information on your site, they’ll find it elsewhere—where you don’t control the narrative. Provider profiles with photos and credentials significantly increase patient confidence.

For multi-provider practices: Create a provider directory page with individual profile pages for each provider. Include filtering by specialty or location if applicable.

5. Comprehensive Service Pages

Thin service pages hurt both SEO and patient conversion. Each major service deserves its own detailed page.

What service pages should include:

What the service/procedure is: Clear, patient-friendly explanation
Who it’s for: Conditions treated, ideal candidates
What to expect: Before, during, and after
Your approach: What makes your practice different
FAQ section: Common questions answered
Clear CTA: How to schedule or learn more

Word count guidance: Aim for 800-1,500 words per service page. Enough to be comprehensive and rank well in search, but not overwhelming.

Example structure:

What is [procedure/service]?
Conditions we treat with [service]
What to expect during your visit
Why choose [practice name] for [service]
Frequently asked questions
Schedule your appointment

Learn more about web development

6. Insurance and Payment Information

Nothing frustrates patients more than discovering insurance issues after they’ve scheduled. Be upfront about what you accept.

What to include:

Insurance plans accepted: List major plans, note that you verify all coverage
Self-pay options: If you offer them, make them visible
Payment methods: What you accept
Financial policies: Expectations around payment
Contact for questions: Who to call about insurance/billing

Placement: Dedicated insurance page linked from main navigation, plus brief mention on contact and appointment pages.

Keep it current: Insurance relationships change. Review this page quarterly to ensure accuracy.

7. Location and Hours with Schema Markup

Patients need to know where you are and when you’re open. This information should be prominent and technically optimized.

Essential information:

Full address: Street, city, state, ZIP
Phone number: Click-to-call enabled
Hours of operation: All days, including lunch closures
Holiday schedule: Or note that hours may vary
Parking information: Where to park, any fees
Building access: Suite number, floor, entrance instructions

Schema markup: Add LocalBusiness or MedicalBusiness schema markup to help search engines understand your location information. This can improve local search visibility and generate rich results in Google.

Google Maps embed: Include an interactive map on your contact page. This helps patients get directions and confirms your location.

See our service area page for an example

8. Patient Portal Access

If you have a patient portal (and most practices do through their EHR), make it easily accessible from your website.

What patients expect from portals:

Appointment scheduling
Prescription refill requests
Lab results viewing
Secure messaging with providers
Bill pay

Website integration:

Prominent link: Header or navigation, not buried in footer
Clear labeling: “Patient Portal” or “My Account”
Login instructions: Help for first-time users
Support contact: Who to call for portal issues

Mobile access: Ensure portal links work on mobile and point to mobile-friendly portal versions or apps.

9. Reviews and Testimonials

Social proof matters. Patients trust other patients.

Options for displaying reviews:

Embedded Google reviews: Show your Google rating and recent reviews
Testimonial quotes: Selected patient testimonials (with proper consent)
Review platform widgets: Healthgrades, Zocdoc, etc.
Video testimonials: Most compelling but requires more production

HIPAA considerations:

Never post patient information without explicit written consent
Use testimonial release forms
Generic testimonials (without identifying details) are safer
Consider first name only or initials

Placement: Homepage testimonial section, dedicated testimonials page, and/or on relevant service pages.

Learn more about reputation management

10. Accessibility Compliance

Website accessibility isn’t just good practice—it’s increasingly a legal requirement. The ADA applies to websites, and healthcare practices have faced lawsuits over inaccessible sites.

Basic accessibility requirements:

Alt text: Descriptive text for all images
Keyboard navigation: Site usable without a mouse
Color contrast: Text readable against backgrounds
Form labels: All form fields properly labeled
Video captions: If you use video content

WCAG standards: Aim for WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance. This is the widely accepted standard for web accessibility.

Testing: Use tools like WAVE or axe to check for accessibility issues. But also test manually—use your site with only a keyboard, use a screen reader, zoom to 200%.

Why it matters beyond compliance: Accessible websites are generally better for everyone. Clear navigation, readable text, and good contrast help all users, not just those with disabilities.

11. Fast Load Times

Slow websites lose patients. Studies show that 53% of mobile users abandon sites that take longer than 3 seconds to load.

Speed optimization essentials:

Image optimization: Compress images, use modern formats (WebP)
Minimal plugins: Each plugin adds load time
Good hosting: Cheap hosting = slow hosting
Caching: Browser and server-side caching
CDN: Content delivery network for faster global delivery

How to check: Google PageSpeed Insights gives you a score and specific recommendations. Aim for scores above 80 on mobile.

Common speed killers in medical sites:

Unoptimized stock photos
Too many third-party scripts
Outdated CMS platforms
Cheap shared hosting

Learn more about web hosting

12. Clear Calls to Action

A beautiful website that doesn’t tell visitors what to do next is a failed website. Every page needs clear calls to action.

Primary CTAs for medical practices:

Schedule an appointment
Call now
Request a consultation
Contact us

CTA best practices:

Visible: Prominent buttons, not hidden links
Specific: “Schedule Your Eye Exam” beats “Learn More”
Repeated: CTAs at top and bottom of pages
Consistent: Same primary action throughout site
Mobile-friendly: Easy to tap on phone screens

CTA placement:

Header (persistent on all pages)
Hero section of homepage
End of service pages
Sidebar or floating button
Footer

Color and design: CTAs should stand out visually. Use your brand’s accent color, make buttons look clickable, ensure sufficient size for tapping.

Bonus: What Your Website Doesn’t Need

Just as important as what to include is what to skip:

Auto-playing video or audio: Annoying and slows down your site

Stock photos that scream “stock”: The laughing diverse team pointing at a laptop. Patients see through it.

Walls of text: Break up content with headers, bullets, and images

Outdated news/blog sections: A blog last updated in 2019 makes you look abandoned

Complicated navigation: If patients can’t find it in 3 clicks, simplify

Excessive pop-ups: One email signup is fine; three pop-ups is harassment

Medical jargon without explanation: Write for patients, not physicians

Auditing Your Current Website

Use this quick checklist to evaluate your site:

Element	Have It?	Quality?
Mobile-friendly design	☐	☐
HIPAA-compliant forms	☐	☐
Online scheduling	☐	☐
Provider profiles	☐	☐
Detailed service pages	☐	☐
Insurance information	☐	☐
Location with schema	☐	☐
Patient portal access	☐	☐
Reviews/testimonials	☐	☐
Accessibility compliance	☐	☐
Fast load times	☐	☐
Clear CTAs	☐	☐

If you’re missing more than 2-3 elements, it might be time for a website refresh.

Ready to Upgrade Your Practice Website?

At MedTech Consulting, we build websites specifically for medical practices—with all 12 essential elements, HIPAA compliance, and designs that convert visitors into patients.

Related reading: Web Design Services | Web Development | Website Hosting