Healthcare Website Requirements: HIPAA and Beyond

Why Healthcare Websites Are Different

Healthcare websites face unique challenges:

• HIPAA compliance requirements
• Accessibility obligations (ADA)
• Trust is essential for patient conversion
• Complex information must be communicated clearly
• Regulatory oversight of marketing claims

Understanding these requirements helps you build a website that serves patients while meeting legal obligations.

HIPAA Compliance

What HIPAA Requires

HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) protects patient health information (PHI).

Your website must:

• Protect any PHI collected through forms
• Encrypt data transmission (HTTPS required)
• Have Business Associate Agreements with vendors handling PHI
• Maintain audit trails
• Implement access controls

Website Elements That May Involve PHI

• Contact forms requesting health information
• Patient portals
• Appointment scheduling with health details
• Chat systems discussing health concerns
• Online intake forms

Compliance Requirements

SSL/HTTPS: Required for any site collecting health information

Form Security:

• Encrypted transmission
• Secure storage
• Access controls
• Data retention policies

Vendor Management:

• Business Associate Agreements (BAAs) required
• Vendors must be HIPAA-compliant
• Regular compliance verification

Covered Vendors:

• Web hosting
• Form processors
• Email services
• Chat/messaging tools
• Analytics (if collecting PHI)

What You Can Skip

Simple informational websites that don't collect PHI have minimal HIPAA website obligations. If you only collect name, email, and phone through a contact form (no health information), HIPAA doesn't apply to that form.

ADA Accessibility

Why It Matters

The Americans with Disabilities Act requires accessible websites for healthcare providers.

Beyond legal compliance:

• 15-20% of people have disabilities
• Accessibility improves usability for everyone
• Accessible sites rank better in search

WCAG Guidelines

Follow Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA:

Perceivable:

• Text alternatives for images
• Captions for videos
• Sufficient color contrast
• Resizable text

Operable:

• Keyboard navigation
• Enough time to read content
• No seizure-triggering content
• Clear navigation

Understandable:

• Readable text
• Predictable behavior
• Input assistance for forms

Robust:

• Compatible with assistive technologies
• Valid HTML

Practical Steps

• Use proper heading hierarchy
• Include alt text on all images
• Ensure forms are screen-reader friendly
• Provide video transcripts
• Test with keyboard navigation
• Check color contrast ratios
• Use ARIA labels where needed

Essential Website Features

Patient-Focused Navigation

Primary pages:

• Services/conditions treated
• Providers/physicians
• Locations
• Patient portal
• Appointment scheduling
• Contact/hours

Secondary pages:

• Insurance accepted
• New patient information
• Forms
• Patient resources
• About us

Provider Profiles

Patients want to know their doctors.

Include:

• Professional photo
• Education and training
• Specialties
• Board certifications
• Years of experience
• Personal bio (humanizes the provider)
• Languages spoken

Service/Condition Pages

Create pages for each service or condition you treat.

Content:

• What the condition/service is
• Symptoms/indications
• Treatment approach
• What to expect
• Why choose your practice

SEO benefit: These pages capture search traffic from people researching specific conditions.

Online Scheduling

Patients expect online booking options.

Requirements:

• HIPAA-compliant platform
• Real-time availability
• Confirmation and reminders
• Easy rescheduling
• Mobile-friendly

Options: Zocdoc, SimplePractice, Healthgrades, or EHR-integrated scheduling

Patient Portal Access

Provide easy access to:

• Medical records
• Test results
• Prescription refills
• Messaging
• Bill pay

Link prominently from your main navigation.

Location Information

For each location:

• Full address
• Google Maps embed
• Parking information
• Public transit options
• Entrance/accessibility details
• Hours of operation
• Phone number

Insurance Information

• List accepted insurance plans
• Explain billing process
• Provide self-pay options
• Include financial assistance information where applicable

Trust-Building Elements

Credentials and Certifications

Display:

• Board certifications
• Hospital affiliations
• Professional memberships
• Awards and recognition
• Accreditations

Reviews and Testimonials

Collect reviews on:

• Google
• Healthgrades
• Vitals
• Zocdoc

Display testimonials on your website (with proper consent forms).

Content That Demonstrates Expertise

• Educational articles
• FAQs about conditions
• Video content explaining procedures
• Patient resources

Security Requirements

SSL Certificate

Required for all healthcare websites. Ensures data encryption.

Secure Hosting

Choose hosting that offers:

• HIPAA-compliant options
• Regular backups
• Security monitoring
• DDoS protection
• Uptime guarantees

Regular Updates

Keep all software current:

• CMS updates
• Plugin updates
• Security patches

Access Controls

Limit who can access what:

• Role-based permissions
• Strong password requirements
• Two-factor authentication for admins
• Audit logs

Mobile Optimization

Over 50% of healthcare searches happen on mobile.

Requirements:

• Responsive design
• Touch-friendly buttons
• Click-to-call phone numbers
• Easy form completion
• Fast loading

SEO for Healthcare

Local SEO

Healthcare is local. Focus on:

• Google Business Profile optimization
• Local keywords in content
• NAP consistency across directories
• Reviews on Google
• Local content

Medical Schema Markup

Use schema for:

• Healthcare organization
• Physicians
• Medical conditions
• Procedures
• Local business

Content Strategy

Create content around:

• Conditions you treat
• Symptoms patients search
• Procedure information
• Patient education

Be careful: Avoid making unsubstantiated medical claims. Provide accurate, helpful information.

Compliance Checklist

HIPAA (if collecting PHI):

• [ ] SSL certificate installed
• [ ] Forms encrypted and secure
• [ ] BAAs with vendors
• [ ] Privacy policy posted
• [ ] Access controls implemented
• [ ] Data retention policies

ADA Accessibility:

• [ ] Alt text on images
• [ ] Proper heading structure
• [ ] Keyboard navigation works
• [ ] Forms are accessible
• [ ] Color contrast sufficient
• [ ] Video captions provided

General Healthcare:

• [ ] Provider credentials displayed
• [ ] Location information clear
• [ ] Contact options visible
• [ ] Insurance information available
• [ ] Patient portal linked
• [ ] Privacy practices posted

Working with Vendors

Questions to Ask

• Are you HIPAA compliant?
• Do you sign BAAs?
• What security measures do you use?
• Do you have healthcare website experience?
• Can you provide compliance documentation?

Red Flags

• Unwilling to sign BAA
• No mention of HIPAA
• Unclear on security practices
• No healthcare experience

Maintaining Compliance

Compliance isn't one-and-done:

• Regular security audits
• Annual accessibility reviews
• Ongoing training
• Policy updates
• Vendor compliance verification

A healthcare website done right builds patient trust while meeting regulatory requirements. It's worth investing in properly from the start.