When it comes to design, the healthcare industry has always presented unique challenges and considerations. Technology and healthcare are converging in new and fascinating ways, and nowhere is this more clear than in web and app design. As products such as wearable tech and interactive health apps have become mainstream, a conversation about how to create patient-centric experiences has emerged. User interface and user experience (known as UI/UX) design puts the user at the center of the experience. Designing around the user is especially relevant when your client base may be disabled, elderly, or simply not tech-saavy, as is sometimes the case in the healthcare industry. That’s why we’re exploring the top trends in healthcare design to ensure that your website, app, or other digital materials stays ahead of the curve.

1. Accessibility

Accessibility is key when it comes to communicating with your patient population. At TECKpert, many of our healthcare clients work with more elderly patients, and making the user experience as easy as possible can mean the difference between gaining a new patient and losing them to a competitor. Giving users the option to schedule an appointment on the front page, with clear, concise directions to your facility can work to simplify the process and build user trust. Furthermore, making sure that all text is easy readable across a number of devices and that color choices are understated as opposed to jarring or too intense goes a long way in creating a user experience that’s accessible to people of all ages and conditions.

Baptist Hospital makes content and navigation easy to see and use. There are multiple examples of following accessibility standards on the site. To provide accessible web and mobile app experiences, follow these guidelines:

• Make content and navigation easy to see
• Provide an easy way to interact using a mouse, keyboard, and/or touch screens
• Allow for text and visual alternatives to sounds
• Allow text and audio alternatives for visuals
• Enable support for using a computer without a monitor or display
• Support using assistive technologies to navigate and access content
• Allow for the use of native accessibility features on mobile devices and tablets

2. A Focus On Tech

When it comes to more specialized healthcare practices, having the latest, most accurate technologies is a major deciding factor when individuals are researching local doctors. Design is a great way to advertise your facility’s tech capabilities, and communicate that patients will have access to resources that will give them more accurate results and more comprehensive treatment. Everything from font choice to imagery can help amplify your digital IQ.

Doctor On Demand puts video at the forefront utilizing this technology as the main driver for doctor/patient interaction.

3. Video Integration

There’s an old saying in web design, which is that content is king. As video content becomes more and more prominent in the online world, integrating it into your site’s designs has become key. Video is an excellent way to create a lasting first impression for individuals visiting your website, and it is a tool that should be utilized by any healthcare practitioner. Patients feel more comfortable scheduling that first appointment when they’ve seen their doctor speak, making it a unique and useful tool for driving more patient signups.

4. Simplicity Is Key

Websites that overwhelm incoming web traffic with too much imagery, text, and links are on the way out. Instead, designers across a variety of fields are focusing on creating more simple designs, and nowhere is this more true than in the healthcare field. Utilizing open space, reducing clutter, and spreading content out more is a trend that will continue to grow in 2018.

Zocdoc has a simple design with personable copy and provides you a simple way to search for a doctor.Keeping your website simple and accessible to all audiences while using design to show off your newest technologies and leveraging tools such as video is key to staying ahead of the curve on website design. As time goes on, more and more patients who are ‘shopping around’ will base their decision on their local healthcare providers’ website pages. If you’re interested in giving your website a refresh and attracting more patients, TECKpert’s design team is ready to help you make the best first impression possible. Get in touch today and learn more about how we connect healthcare specialists like you to cutting-edge web development, expert design and award-winning marketing services.