Clinic website design mistakes that lose patients

Key takeaways

Clinic website design mistakes that lose patients include a booking button that is hard to find, no practitioner profiles, unclear treatment prices, clinical jargon and design that is hard to use for older or disabled patients. Patients are anxious and comparing; a clear, calm, accessible site with visible booking and real clinicians wins their trust.

• Keep 'Book an appointment' visible on every page.
• Show each practitioner's photo, qualifications and registration.
• Publish treatment prices or ranges.
• Design for accessibility: many patients have impairments.

Why are clinic websites different?

Patients choosing a private clinic, dentist or therapist are often worried and need to trust the people before booking. They also include older people and people with health conditions that affect vision, mobility or concentration. Design mistakes that add effort or uncertainty hit clinics harder than most sectors.

• The most common business website design mistakes
• Websites for UK healthcare clinics

Mistake 1: hidden or awkward booking

If patients must hunt for booking, or meet an embedded system that does not work on a phone, they ring instead or give up. Keep a booking button in the header, link it to a mobile-friendly booking system and offer phone for people who prefer it.

• Online booking on a small business website

Mistake 2: no practitioner profiles

Patients want to know who will treat them. Show each clinician's photo, qualifications, professional registration and areas of focus, and link them to the treatments they provide.

• Team photos on your website: what works and what does not

Mistake 3: unclear prices

Private patients pay directly and want to know costs before booking. Publish prices or ranges for consultations and common treatments, and explain what affects the final cost and any payment plans.

• Pricing page design mistakes that put buyers off

Mistake 4: clinical jargon

Treatment pages written in clinical language lose patients searching in everyday terms. Describe conditions and treatments in plain English first, then add the clinical detail. The NHS design principles and content guidance are a good model for clear health writing.

Mistake 5: design that is hard to use

Small grey text, low contrast, tiny buttons and complex forms are harder for many patients. Use readable type, strong contrast and large tap targets, and make sure booking works with a keyboard and screen reader.

• Colour contrast on websites: why grey text loses readers
• Mobile websites for older customers: what to change

Mistake 6: over-claiming results

Before-and-after images and outcome claims must be accurate and not misleading under advertising rules, and some treatments and medicines have specific restrictions on how they can be promoted. Show regulator ratings, such as a Care Quality Commission (CQC) rating where you have one, rather than unsupported claims.

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: a clinic site lists treatments in clinical terms with no prices and the booking link in the footer. Adding plain-English descriptions, price ranges, practitioner profiles and a header booking button answers the questions patients would otherwise phone to ask.

• See client work
• Website Design & Development for UK businesses
• Website design review: score your own site in 30 minutes

Clinic website checklist

• Book an appointment button on every page.
• Practitioner profiles with registration details.
• Treatment prices or ranges.
• Plain-English treatment descriptions.
• Strong contrast, readable type, large buttons.
• Accurate claims and regulator ratings.

Next step

Ask an older relative or friend to book an appointment on your site using their own phone. Watch where they struggle.