Building a strong online presence: 9 website strategies for primary care practices

In contemporary U.S. health care, patients may turn to Dr. Google to find out what’s ailing them.

But nothing can replace the human touch in medicine. So, when patients begin looking online for real-life physicians, first impressions matter. Your website can be the digital front door that draws patients in — or makes them look elsewhere for quality care.

Maybe your practice’s website needs refreshing, or you never liked it to begin with. Opening a new office, updating office computer networks and electronic health records, or changing an online service provider all can be good times to re-examine the look and user experience of your practice’s website.

The good news is that you don’t have to begin a second career as a web developer or programmer, or buy into the massive information technology departments employed by giant health systems. There are potential new patients out there who need medical care. Help them find you by using this checklist to analyze your own digital presence and think about practical ways to improve it.