How to improve your medical website & dental website for higher conversions

To enhance your medical website’s performance, start with conversion rates, consider implementing strategies and features recommended by PatientGain, a platform specializing in healthcare marketing solutions. Their approach focuses on optimizing user experience, streamlining patient interactions, and leveraging intelligent applications to drive engagement and new patient calls & appointments.

Step 1: Remove anything from your medical or dental website, that is making it slow

Fast page load times = High conversion rates

PatientGain’s data shows majority of your patients visit your website on a mobile device. Focus on your mobile website. Look at it like you are patient. The mobile website should load in less than 4 seconds on average to get the attention of someone with a website. If load time takes any longer than that, there is a dramatic decrease in conversions.

Step 2: Fix navigation menus of your medical or dental website

The more steps patients have to take to get to the desired information, the less the conversion. For example if your medical or dental website has nested menus and menus within menus, your conversion is likely to drop by 2 to 4% . So keep it simple. For example PatientGains’s data shows that “Services” page is extremely important.

Example 1: Complex nested menus – In the example below a user has to go through 3 steps to get to the desired page.

Example 2: Simple menus – In the example below a user has to go through 1 steps to get to the desired page.

Results: If your website uses example no 2, you will see higher conversions, how much higher? If you have a high volume, active website with proper CTAs then you may see 2% to 4% higher conversions just by changing the menus of your medical or dental website. However, if your website is very slow to load, then its very likely that user has already the website, and menus have no impact.

Step 3: Implement clear and actionable Calls-to-Action (CTAs)

PatientGain emphasizes the importance of strategically placed CTAs throughout your website to guide visitors toward desired actions, such as booking an appointment or contacting your practice. For instance, a dental practice in a competitive area achieved an 18.74% conversion rate, generating 675 new patient leads from 3,601 visitors in a single month, by utilizing effective CTAs.

Step 4: Optimize for Mobile Devices

With approximately 82% of patients accessing medical websites via mobile devices, ensuring your site is mobile-optimized is crucial. A responsive design ensures that visitors have a seamless experience, regardless of the device they’re using. Optimizing a medical website for mobile devices offers benefits like enhanced user experience, leading to better patient satisfaction and engagement, and improved search engine visibility as Google prioritizes mobile-friendly sites in search results. It also results in higher conversion rates for appointments and leads, reduces bounce rates by providing quick access to information, and fosters a competitive advantage by adapting to patient behavior and providing a modern, accessible platform for healthcare services.

Step 5: Leverage AI Based Intelligent Applications

Integrating HIPAA-compliant AI based apps increase conversions. These apps also facilitate communication and encourage visitors to become patients. These intelligent applications provide 24/7 engagement, answering common questions and assisting with appointment bookings. PatientGain.com provides AI-based intelligent applications that are part of its HIPAA-compliant marketing automation platform for healthcare practices. These tools are designed to automate marketing, improve patient engagement, and streamline administrative tasks, ultimately helping practices attract and retain more patients.

Step 6: Utilize A/B testing for medical and dental websites

A/B testing allows you to compare different versions of your website to determine which elements resonate most with your audience. PatientGain reports that A/B-tested websites can perform anywhere from 23% to 90% better than those that are not specifically tested for A/B conversion rates.

Step 7: Simplify online forms

Long, cumbersome forms can deter potential patients. Keeping forms short and straightforward increases the likelihood that visitors will complete them, leading to higher conversion rates. To simplify online forms and increase conversion rates on medical websites, focus on minimizing fields, building trust, optimizing for mobile use, and breaking up complex forms into manageable, multi-step processes. All solutions must be HIPAA-compliant to protect patient data. For example, 1) Minimize fields: For initial contact or appointment requests, ask only for essential information: name, phone number, email, and the reason for contact. Longer, more detailed forms can be sent later during a follow-up. 2) Use single-column layouts: Design forms with a single column to reduce visual clutter and make the flow easy to follow. Studies show this is easier for users to complete than multi-column forms. 3) Choose simple input types: Wherever possible, use radio buttons or checkboxes instead of dropdown menus. This makes selecting options faster and more direct.

Step 8: Showcase Patient Testimonials and Case Studies

Displaying authentic patient reviews and success stories can build trust and credibility. Highlighting positive experiences and outcomes can encourage new visitors to take the next step toward becoming a patient. Using patient testimonials on a medical website poses significant HIPAA risks if not handled with strict compliance Patient health information (PHI) is protected under the HIPAA Privacy Rule, and public testimonials are considered a form of marketing that requires explicit patient authorization.

Key HIPAA implications for patient testimonials:

Written authorization is mandatory. A practice must obtain a valid, written authorization from a patient before publishing any testimonial, including on a website or social media. This authorization must clearly outline:
- What patient information will be shared (e.g., name, photo, specific details).
- Where and how the testimonial will be used (e.g., on your website, in print, on social media).
- The purpose of the use (e.g., for marketing and advertising).
- The patient’s right to revoke the authorization at any time and how to do so.
The need for de-identification. If a patient does not provide written consent, the testimonial must be completely de-identified. This means removing all 18 types of identifiers specified by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), such as names, dates, and geographic details, to ensure the individual cannot be identified. Even with de-identification, practices should be cautious, as determined attackers may still be able to re-identify individuals by linking data.
Accidental disclosure. Testimonials, even seemingly harmless ones, can lead to accidental disclosures of PHI. For example, if a patient includes details about their diagnosis or treatment, this is considered PHI. Publishing these details without proper authorization is a HIPAA violation, even if the patient originally provided them.
Prohibition on quid pro quo. Conditioning a patient’s care or treatment on them providing a testimonial is a serious violation of HIPAA. The patient’s consent must be voluntary, without any coercion or duress.
Risk of penalties and reputational damage. Violating HIPAA by improperly handling patient testimonials can lead to severe consequences, including:
- Financial penalties: The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) can impose hefty fines. In one case, a medical practice had to pay a $30,000 settlement for disclosing PHI in response to online reviews.
- Reputational damage: Public breaches of confidentiality can erode patient trust and harm the practice’s reputation.

Best practices for compliant testimonials

Obtain written authorization: Create a specific, clear authorization form that details exactly how and where the testimonial will be used. Do not rely on verbal consent.
Use compliant software: Consider using HIPAA-compliant software to securely collect, store, and track patient authorizations. Some platforms are specifically designed for this purpose.
Train your staff: Educate all employees on HIPAA requirements related to marketing and testimonials. This is crucial to prevent unauthorized disclosures, even from well-meaning staff members.
Have a clear review process: Establish a strong internal review process where testimonials and authorizations are reviewed by a compliance officer or marketing director before publication.
Address negative reviews carefully: If a patient posts a negative review on a third-party site, do not acknowledge they are a patient or discuss any specifics of their treatment. Respond with a general, templated message and offer to discuss the matter privately offline.

Step 9: Maintain Up-to-Date and Accurate Information

An outdated website can frustrate visitors and lead them to competitors. Regularly updating your site with current information about services, staff, and contact details ensures a positive user experience and builds trust