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Healthcare Website Design | Web Accessibility Agency

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Healthcare Case Studies

Fresh and modern website revamp for provider of patient transfer solutions

Silvalea, a leader in patient transfer slings, collaborated with Priority Pixels to create a new website that not only enhances user experience (UX) but also maintains brand integrity. Priority Pixels initiated the project with an in-depth analysis of Silvalea’s brand and audience, ensuring the design reflected the company’s values of innovation, quality, and care. By employing a mobile-first approach, they developed a clean, intuitive interface that facilitates easy navigation and product discovery. The website’s design is minimalistic yet professional, optimised for performance across all devices.

Accessible e-commerce website for UK's leading wheelchair supplier

The Mobility Outlet is a UK-based supplier offering a variety of manual and electric wheelchairs, alongside related accessories and parts. With over 15 years of experience, the company caters to both individual customers and healthcare institutions, including the NHS.

The Mobility Outlet recently partnered with Priority Pixels to undertake a comprehensive website build. The new website was developed using WordPress and WooCommerce, with a focus on creating a user-friendly interface that is fully responsive across all devices. Special attention was given to accessibility, with special attention given to clear typography and colour pallettes to ensure inclusivity.

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Supporting the NHS Health Connections directory websites

Health Connections Mendip is a health and wellbeing service at Frome Medical Practice, introduced in 2014. Through their Health Connections Mendip website, the practice has put together a detailed service directory, listing community care providers and volunteers from local health centres, charities and other groups in the area to help support anyone with health or mobility issues.

To support other NHS trusts and outside organisations with the launch of their own Health Connections directory website, we work closely with them looking after the design, build and launch of their website.

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Web design and support for Exeter based cancer charity

FORCE are a charity based in Exeter at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital Wonford site. Offering support both emotional and physical support, Force Cancer are there to help both patients and their loved ones through difficult times.

FORCE asked Priority Pixels to rebuild their current website from scratch. Visually the site needed a refresh and a more modern, interactive user experience. The original website was built using a page builder and was jam-packed full of plugins and unnecessary code and scripts. As a result, the site was slow to load and wasn’t particularly user-friendly. It was imperative this be corrected with the new website.

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Fresh and modern website revamp for provider of patient transfer solutions Accessible e-commerce website for UK's leading wheelchair supplier Supporting the NHS Health Connections directory websites Web design and support for Exeter based cancer charity

We Build Healthcare Websites That are Accessible to Everyone

We believe that making healthcare websites accessible benefits everyone by ensuring equal access to critical information and services, fostering inclusivity and enhancing the overall user experience. Accessibility empowers individuals with disabilities – such as vision impairments, hearing loss, motor challenges and cognitive impairments – to effectively engage with healthcare resources online. By designing websites that cater to diverse needs, we help create a more inclusive digital environment for all patients and users.

Web accessibility is not only an ethical responsibility but also a legal requirement in many countries, especially in the healthcare sector where access to information is vital. The team at Priority Pixels ensure that your healthcare website complies with all accessibility guidelines, enabling equal access to your services while meeting legal standards. Features such as clear navigation, simplified interfaces and easy-to-use designs not only benefit those with disabilities but also improve the user experience for everyone, making your site easier to navigate and interact with.

By making your healthcare website accessible, you can reach a wider audience, including older individuals and those with temporary disabilities. This expanded reach helps improve patient engagement and access to healthcare services. Additionally, implementing accessibility best practices – such as proper HTML structure and alternative text for images – also boosts your website’s search engine optimisation (SEO), improving your visibility in search rankings and attracting more visitors.

Website Accessibility

  • What is an accessible website?

    Website accessibility is a crucial aspect of web development that ensures websites and online tools are usable by as many people as possible, including those with disabilities. This encompasses a wide range of impairments, including visual, auditory, physical, speech, cognitive, language, learning and neurological disabilities. The ultimate goal of website accessibility is to provide an inclusive and equal experience for all users, regardless of their ability or context.

    The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) developed by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) outline four main principles of accessibility, often abbreviated as POUR:

    • Perceivable: Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive. This means that users must be able to perceive the information being presented (it can’t be invisible to all of their senses).
    • Operable: User interface components and navigation must be operable. The interface cannot require interaction that a user cannot perform.
    • Understandable: Information and the operation of the user interface must be understandable. This means that users must be able to understand the information as well as the operation of the user interface (the content or operation cannot be beyond their understanding).
    • Robust: Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies. This means that users must be able to access the content as technologies advance.
  • Why is website accessibility important?

    Website accessibility is crucial for several key reasons:

    • Inclusivity: Accessibility ensures that everyone, including individuals with disabilities such as visual impairments, hearing loss, motor difficulties, and cognitive impairments, can access and interact with web content. This inclusivity upholds the principle that the web should provide equal access and opportunity to people of all abilities.
    • Legal Compliance: Many countries have laws and regulations that require digital accessibility. For example, the Equality Act in the UK mandates that public digital content should be accessible to everyone. Failure to comply can lead to legal consequences and fines.
    • Broader Audience Reach: By making a website accessible, you expand your potential audience. This includes not only people with permanent disabilities but also those with temporary impairments (like a broken arm) or situational limitations (such as bright sunlight affecting screen visibility).
    • Improved Usability and SEO: Accessibility features often improve the overall user experience and usability of a website. For instance, clear navigation and structured content that are necessary for screen readers can also aid in search engine optimisation (SEO), as they make the content more discoverable and easier to index.
    • Corporate Social Responsibility: Prioritising accessibility reflects positively on a company’s commitment to social responsibility. It shows that a business values all members of the community, which can enhance brand perception and loyalty.

    Overall, embracing accessibility is not just about avoiding legal issues or expanding market reach; it’s about fostering an inclusive environment where all users, regardless of their physical abilities, can benefit from digital content.

  • What is WCAG 2.2?

    WCAG 2.2 is the latest version of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) as of its release. It builds upon the previous standards, WCAG 2.0 and WCAG 2.1, by introducing additional guidelines to further improve web accessibility, particularly focusing on users with cognitive and learning disabilities, users with low vision, and users with disabilities on mobile devices.

    Here are some key points about WCAG 2.2:

    • Continued Evolution: WCAG 2.2 retains compatibility with WCAG 2.0 and 2.1, meaning that it includes all the criteria from these earlier versions while adding new ones. Websites that comply with WCAG 2.2 will also conform to WCAG 2.0 and 2.1.
    • New Success Criteria: WCAG 2.2 introduces several new success criteria. These criteria aim to address gaps in the existing guidelines and provide a more inclusive environment for users with additional types of disabilities. Examples of new criteria might include enhancements in the usability and accessibility of interactive controls, better navigation aids, and more considerations for users with cognitive impairments.
    • Focus Areas: The new version pays more attention to users with cognitive and learning disabilities, providing clearer guidelines that help in creating content that is easier to understand and navigate. It also enhances guidelines for mobile accessibility, reflecting the growing use of mobile devices and the unique challenges they pose.
    • Implementation and Compliance: Like its predecessors, WCAG 2.2 serves as a benchmark for legal and regulatory compliance regarding digital accessibility across various jurisdictions. Organisations aiming to meet legal obligations or wanting to ensure broader usability of their digital assets often strive to meet at least Level AA of the latest WCAG version.
    • Global Impact: WCAG guidelines are internationally recognised and have been adopted by many countries as the basis for their legal standards on accessibility. This makes WCAG 2.2 an important framework for global businesses and organisations aiming for international compliance and best practices in accessibility.

    WCAG 2.2 is part of the W3C’s ongoing effort to make the web more accessible by providing up-to-date, clear, and practical guidelines for creating accessible content.

  • What is the difference between A, AA, and AAA levels in WCAG?

    The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) outline different levels of accessibility criteria: A, AA, and AAA. These levels are designed to help organisations make their digital content more accessible to people with disabilities. Here’s a breakdown of each level:

    Level A

    This is the minimum level of accessibility and includes the most basic web accessibility features. Compliance at this level means that some barriers to accessing web content are removed, but not all. It covers essential accessibility features that must be implemented for basic accessibility. Examples include providing text alternatives for non-text content, ensuring that all functionality is available from a keyboard, and using proper HTML markup for content structure.

    Level AA

    This level addresses the most common barriers for disabled users and is generally aimed at improving accessibility for a wider range of people with disabilities. It is the standard level of compliance required by many organisational policies and legal frameworks, including in areas such as public sector accessibility and corporate compliance. It includes all Level A criteria plus additional requirements such as providing captions for videos, offering multiple ways to locate web pages, and ensuring that text and visuals have sufficient colour contrast.

    Level AAA

    This is the highest and most stringent level of accessibility. Achieving AAA compliance means that the website provides an exceptionally high level of accessibility and goes beyond ensuring that content is accessible to include enhancements that make it more usable for people with more significant disabilities. Examples include providing sign language interpretation for videos, allowing users to adjust text spacing and line height, and offering detailed help and support navigation. However, it is not always practical or necessary for all content to meet this level, and it is not generally required by law.

    Each successive level includes the criteria of the previous level, so AAA includes everything in AA, and AA includes everything in A. Organisations often aim for Level AA as a balance between improving accessibility and practical implementation challenges.

  • Managed Website Hosting

    All websites require hosting to work, but the quality of website hosting varies hugely. You may be tempted by the cheap hosting advertised on the TV or online, declaring deals as low as hosting for £1 a month. If you value your website and your business, please avoid these ‘cheap’ options at all costs.

    Good website hosting is worth its weight in gold. It is vital that your website loads quickly, ensuring your visitors get the best experience possible. If your website takes too long to load they’ll quickly hit the back button and try a different website.

    At Priority Pixels we only use the best website hosting to ensure that our clients’ websites are not only online, but run as quickly and efficiently as possible. We offer scalable cloud hosting to ensure your website remains online 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

    We also offer daily backups of your healthcare website files and databases, keeping them safe and secure should the situation arise where you need to restore anything. We can even migrate your existing website for free, if you are unhappy with your current service provider.

FAQs

What makes your healthcare website design services unique?

Our services are tailored specifically to the healthcare industry, ensuring that all designs meet the unique needs of healthcare providers. We focus on creating accessible, secure, and compliant websites that enhance patient communication and streamline administrative processes.

What are some good design principles for healthcare web design?

Designing healthcare websites requires a thoughtful approach to ensure that the information is accessible, easy to navigate, and secure. Here are some key design principles to consider when creating healthcare websites:

  • Clarity and Simplicity – Healthcare information can be complex, so it’s crucial to present content in a clear and simple manner. Use plain language that is easy to understand, and avoid medical jargon unless it is explained. Layouts should be clean and organised, with a clear hierarchy that guides the user through the site.
  • Accessibility – Make sure the website is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities. Follow the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to ensure that the site is usable for people with various types of impairments. This includes providing text alternatives for non-text content, ensuring keyboard navigability, and using sufficient colour contrast.
  • Mobile Responsiveness – With the increasing use of mobile devices to access information, it’s essential that healthcare websites are responsive and function well on all screen sizes. This means designing flexible layouts that adjust content and functionality across different devices.
  • Secure and Private – Healthcare websites often deal with sensitive information. Ensuring that user data is protected with up-to-date security protocols is non-negotiable. This includes using HTTPS, secure forms, and compliance with privacy laws like GDPR or HIPAA where applicable.
  • User-Centered Navigation – Navigation should be intuitive and user-friendly. Organise information in a logical structure that is easy for users to follow. Consider the primary tasks that users come to the site to accomplish, and make these tasks straightforward and efficient to complete.
  • High-Quality Content – Provide high-quality, accurate, and up-to-date health information that can help users make informed decisions. Content should be regularly reviewed and updated by healthcare professionals to maintain its reliability.
  • Visual Hierarchy and Elements – Use visual hierarchy effectively to guide the user’s attention to the most important information. This can be achieved through the use of headings, bold text, colours, and other visual elements. Avoid overwhelming users with excessive visuals; instead, focus on enhancing understanding and readability.
  • Consistent Branding – Maintain consistent branding across all pages to create a cohesive look and feel. This includes consistent use of colours, fonts, and graphic styles that align with the healthcare organisation’s brand identity.
  • Interactive Elements – Incorporate interactive elements such as chatbots, appointment booking interfaces, and symptom checkers to enhance user engagement. However, these features should be designed thoughtfully to ensure they do not become barriers to information.
  • Feedback and Support – Provide mechanisms for users to offer feedback or get help when needed. This could include contact forms, support lines, and live chat features. Listening to user feedback can be invaluable in further refining the user experience.

By adhering to these principles, healthcare websites can provide valuable support to their users, offering them easy access to crucial health information and services while ensuring their privacy and security.

How long does it take to design and deploy a healthcare website?

The timeline varies depending on the complexity and scale of the project. Typically, a standard healthcare website can take anywhere from 6 to 12 weeks from initial concept to go-live. We provide a detailed timeline after the initial project scope is defined.

What are some common barriers to web accessibility?

Web accessibility barriers are obstacles that hinder the effective use of websites by people with disabilities, and addressing these is crucial for creating an inclusive digital environment. Visual barriers include poor colour contrast, which makes it difficult for people with visual impairments to read, and a lack of text alternatives for images and videos, which prevents these elements from being interpreted by screen readers. Text that cannot be resized also poses problems for users with low vision.

Auditory barriers occur when videos and audio recordings lack captions or transcripts, excluding those who are deaf or hard of hearing. Additionally, presenting information in audio-only formats without visual or textual alternatives can be inaccessible to these individuals.

Motor barriers include inadequate keyboard access, which prevents those who cannot use a mouse due to physical disabilities from navigating websites, and interfaces that require complex gestures or rapid responses, which can be impossible for users with limited dexterity or motor functions.

Cognitive and neurological barriers are created by the use of complicated language and confusing navigation structures, which can be overwhelming for people with cognitive disabilities. Also, inconsistent user interfaces and unpredictable interaction patterns can pose significant challenges.

Technological barriers occur when websites do not support assistive technologies such as screen readers or voice recognition software effectively. Additionally, poorly designed forms that are not clearly labelled or do not provide error messages can be especially problematic for users with visual or cognitive disabilities.

To remove these barriers, it is essential to follow web design best practices such as those outlined in the WCAG and to engage in continuous testing with diverse user groups, including people with disabilities, ensuring that all website content is accessible.

I'm not satisfied with my current website designer, can you help?

If you aren’t happy with the quality of service you are receiving from your current web designer/agency, then we are more than happy to help. We have a number of clients that move from other web designers and agencies to us, because they feel they aren’t getting the service they deserve. We can even help transfer your domains and hosting to us. Customer service is very important to us here at Priority Pixels, so if you are thinking of moving your website elsewhere please reach out and we’d be happy to help.

Can you integrate third-party tools and systems into our website?

Yes, we have extensive experience integrating a wide range of third-party healthcare systems and tools, including appointment booking systems and patient management systems, ensuring seamless operation and enhanced functionality.

Is WordPress a good choice for a healthcare website?

WordPress is a popular choice for building healthcare websites due to its flexibility, ease of use, and extensive feature set. Here are several reasons why WordPress is particularly well-suited for healthcare websites:

  1. Ease of Use – WordPress is known for its user-friendly interface, making it accessible for non-technical users to manage and update content. This is crucial for healthcare organisations that need to frequently update their site with new health information, news, or emergency updates without needing specialised IT skills.
  2. Cost-Effectiveness – WordPress itself is a free, open-source platform. This makes it a cost-effective choice for healthcare organisations of all sizes. While there are costs associated with hosting, premium themes, and plugins, the overall expense is generally lower compared to custom-built solutions.
  3. Extensive Customisability – With thousands of themes and plugins available, WordPress allows healthcare websites to be highly customised to meet specific needs. Whether it’s adding a booking system for appointments, a contact form, or integrating an interactive symptom checker, there’s likely a plugin available to add the desired functionality.
  4. SEO-Friendly – WordPress is designed with search engine optimisation (SEO) in mind, helping websites to rank higher in search engine results. This is crucial for healthcare providers aiming to reach a broader audience. Many plugins refine this further, optimising content and meta tags to enhance visibility.
  5. Responsive Design – Many WordPress themes are responsive by default, meaning they automatically adjust to look great on mobile, tablet, and desktop devices. This is essential for healthcare websites as patients often access health information on-the-go.
  6. Security Features – While WordPress core is secure, it also supports various security plugins that help protect sensitive data, a critical feature for healthcare sites handling personal health information. Regular updates and professional security plugins can help safeguard a site against common vulnerabilities.
  7. Scalability – WordPress sites can grow with your organisation, from a simple blog to a full-featured healthcare portal offering diverse services like patient portals, forums, and resource libraries. It handles a large amount of content efficiently, which is beneficial for large healthcare providers.
  8. Multilingual Support – WordPress supports multilingual sites either natively or through plugins, allowing healthcare providers to reach a diverse patient base in multiple languages. This is particularly important in multilingual communities or regions where providing information in several languages is required.
  9. Community and Support – WordPress has a large global community and a wealth of tutorials, forums, and professional developers available for support. This extensive support network can be invaluable for troubleshooting, custom development, and staying updated on best practices.

Overall, WordPress offers a robust, flexible, and user-friendly platform for healthcare organisations to build their online presence, ensuring they can provide critical information and services to their communities effectively and efficiently.

My healthcare website has been hacked, can you help?

If the security of your healthcare website has been compromised, the team at Priority Pixels can help. Our team of expert website designers boast extensive technical knowledge and skills. We don’t simply create websites – we understand how they’re put together, from the server where your site is stored to the front end your visitors see.

If your website has been hacked, please contact the team at Priority Pixels as soon as possible. We can carry out a thorough assessment and advise you on the steps you need to take.

Can you help secure my healthcare website?

As a dedicated digital agency, we specialise in enhancing the security of healthcare websites. Here’s how we ensure robust protection for your sensitive data:

  1. Secure Hosting Solutions – We partner with leading hosting providers known for their stringent security measures, ensuring they support the latest PHP versions, provide automatic backups, and offer SSL certificates.
  2. Regular WordPress Updates – Our team diligently updates your WordPress core, themes, and plugins to protect against vulnerabilities, as updates often include critical security patches.
  3. Web Application Firewall (WAF) Implementation – We implement Web Application Firewalls such as Cloudflare or Sucuri to block malicious traffic and guard against common threats like DDoS attacks, SQL injection, and XSS.
  4. SSL/TLS Encryption – We enforce SSL/TLS encryption to secure all data transmitted between your website and its users, crucial for protecting personal health information and login credentials.
  5. Strong Password Policies and Two-Factor Authentication – We establish and enforce strong password policies and implement two-factor authentication (2FA) to enhance security, particularly for administrative access.
  6. Login Attempt Limitation – To prevent brute force attacks, we limit the number of login attempts from a single IP address using tools like “Login LockDown” or “Jetpack Protect.”
  7. Role-Based Access Control – We apply the principle of least privilege by limiting user permissions only to what is necessary for their roles, thereby minimising potential internal threats.
  8. Secure File Permissions – Our team sets and maintains proper file permissions on your web server to enhance security, typically configuring files to 644 and directories to 755.
  9. Disable File Editing – To prevent potential security breaches, we disable direct editing of theme and plugin files from the WordPress admin dashboard by configuring your wp-config.php file.
  10. Regular Backups – We conduct regular, secure backups of your site’s data and ensure they are stored offsite for quick recovery in case of data loss or breach.
  11. Monitoring and Audit Logs – Our security services include logging and monitoring user activities, especially concerning logins and data access, providing an audit trail that can be invaluable during a security review.
  12. Compliance with Healthcare Regulations – We ensure that all security measures comply with relevant healthcare regulations, such as HIPAA in the U.S., covering everything from data protection to access and audit controls.
  13. Security Plugins – We utilise advanced security plugins like Wordfence, iThemes Security, or Sucuri Security to provide comprehensive security features that safeguard your WordPress healthcare website.

At Priority Pixels, securing your healthcare website is our top priority, employing a range of advanced techniques and tools to ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of your critical health data.

What is the cost of designing a healthcare website?

The cost of designing a healthcare website can vary based on your specific requirements. We offer transparent pricing and will provide a detailed quote based on your needs, including design, development, integration, and any additional services required.

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