The short answer
A doctor's website should explain who practises, relevant registration and qualifications, services, location, hours and how to request an appointment. Make those details usable on a phone. Keep content factual, distinguish an appointment request from a confirmed booking, and have the clinic approve advertising and information handling for its jurisdiction.
Checklist
Does your clinic website cover the essentials?
Fourteen items, drawn from this article. Essential items are marked.
Tick what your website already has. Your answers stay on this page; nothing is sent or stored.
14 items, 11 of them essential. Tick the ones your website already has.
What do patients need to find first?
Prioritise practical questions: does this practice offer the relevant service, where is it, when is it open and how can someone contact it? Put location and appointment information near the top rather than behind a long introduction. Use plain descriptions approved by the clinician. Explain any referral or preparation requirements that affect access. Test with someone unfamiliar with the practice on a phone. They should not have to interpret internal department names to find the correct route or guess whether an online request has been accepted.
Which details establish a factual basis for trust?
Use the clinician's accurate name, applicable registration information and verified qualifications. Identify the practice and its contact details clearly. Include current hours and access information, and distinguish services offered at different locations. Use photographs you have rights to publish; do not present a stock person as the treating doctor. Explain who reviews health information and when it was last checked where relevant. Trust should come from accurate, maintained information and a clear process, rather than invented awards, exaggerated credentials or decorative approval symbols.
What should the site avoid saying?
Advertising requirements differ by jurisdiction and service. In Australia, Ahpra prohibits clinical testimonials in advertising; that is not a prohibition on every non-clinical comment. India's applicable medical conduct rules include restrictions on solicitation and self-promotion. On 6 October 2026 the National Medical Commission (NMC) issued Guidelines on Ethical Advertising and Public Communication, in force immediately; they restrict promotional testimonials, promotional before-and-after photographs and unverifiable claims such as 'best'. Design to the published text, not to older summaries. Obtain clinic approval against the current rules and avoid unsupported outcome claims. This article addresses website design, not medical or legal advice.
How should appointment requests work?
Decide whether the form requests a callback, proposes a time or connects to an approved booking system. State that distinction before submission and in the confirmation. Identify who monitors requests and provide another contact route if the form fails. Explain that the form is not for emergencies. Collect only the details needed to manage the request; a general website form should not invite a detailed medical history by default. Test invalid entries, duplicate requests and out-of-hours submissions, not just the successful demonstration.
How do you protect patient information?
Map every place submitted information travels, including email, a booking provider and staff access. Review security, retention and permissions appropriate to the data collected. Avoid placing health details in analytics events, URLs or general marketing tools. Keep a privacy notice that describes the actual process rather than a copied policy. Decide how requests are deleted or transferred to an approved clinical system. A secure connection is one part of the design, not evidence that the whole information-handling process has been reviewed.
What makes the site manageable after launch?
Assign an owner for hours, clinician details, service changes and contact information. Use an update process the practice can follow without relying on memory. Keep essential information accessible in live text, not only in images. Test phone calls, maps, forms and booking links after changes. Review the content periodically with the clinician and relevant advisers. A modest site that remains accurate is more useful than a large site with outdated availability or unreviewed claims. The first scope should reflect what the practice can maintain responsibly.
FAQ
Can we publish patient testimonials?
In Australia, clinical testimonials cannot be used to advertise regulated health services. India has its own conduct requirements. Obtain jurisdiction-specific approval; do not assume that every review is interchangeable or permitted.
Do we need online booking?
Not always. A clear appointment-request or telephone route may fit the practice better. If booking is offered, confirm availability handling, privacy and the distinction between a request and a confirmed appointment.
How often should the information be checked?
Whenever hours, clinicians, services or locations change, and on a regular review the clinic agrees. Assign one owner so outdated details are corrected quickly.