Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the push toward telehealth and virtual care was already underway driven by an aging population, gaps in healthcare access, and mounting pressure on an overstretched workforce. But the global health crisis was a turning point.
With the declaration of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, telehealth rapidly shifted from optional to essential, enabling continuity of care while reducing exposure risks for both patients and providers.
Today, telehealth is no longer viewed as a short-term fix but a long-term one. A 2023 survey from McKinsey found that 71% of patients prefer virtual or hybrid care models when given the choice, citing convenience, reduced travel, and quicker access to specialists as key benefits.
Still, the rapid expansion of virtual care hasn’t been without growing pains. Many organizations struggle to integrate telehealth into their systems without falling back on outdated models or siloed digital tools.
To meet evolving patient needs and deliver sustainable virtual care, healthcare providers need modern, well-optimized digital infrastructure.
That starts with your website.
How OPTASY Helps You Deliver Seamless Virtual Care
At OPTASY, we go beyond website design. We build digital healthcare infrastructure and patient-centric websites that enable better care, stronger patient relationships, and scalable virtual services.
With over a decade of experience in Drupal development and healthcare integrations, we help clinics, hospitals, and digital health startups transform their online presence into functional, secure, and user-friendly care platforms.
Our team specializes in:
- HIPAA-compliant architecture and custom portal development
- Integrations with EMRs, scheduling tools, and telehealth platforms
- Mobile-first and accessible user experience design
- Performance optimization and continuous support
Take a look at how we partnered with DentaQuest, one of the largest dental benefit administrators in the U.S. We helped redesign and optimize their platform to support 27 million members and 70,000 providers with a focus on usability, accessibility, and patient engagement.
Whether you’re launching telehealth for the first time or refining your digital workflow, OPTASY is here to help you do it right.
What Telehealth and Virtual Care Means in 2025
Virtual care in 2025 refers to the delivery of healthcare services through digital platforms, enabling patients to access medical support without being physically present in a clinic or hospital.
Virtual care includes:
- Video consultations
- Secure messaging
- Digital symptom checkers
- Remote monitoring devices
- Online access to medical records, prescriptions, and follow-up care.
According to a 2024 Deloitte study, nearly 75% of U.S. healthcare consumers used some form of virtual care in the past year, and over half want digital options to remain available for routine care and specialist referrals.
The benefits are clear:
– Reduced travel and wait times
– Faster access to specialists
– Improved continuity for chronic conditions
– Enhanced convenience for follow-ups and mental health support
Virtual care is a standard in the post-pandemic world and your website is central to delivering it effectively.
Limitations of Telehealth
While telehealth has unlocked new possibilities in healthcare access and delivery, it also comes with its own set of challenges, many of which can quietly erode the patient experience if left unaddressed.
- Digital inequality remains a significant barrier. Not all patients have access to high-speed internet, modern devices, or the digital literacy required to navigate virtual care platforms.
- Clinical limitations are also a reality. Certain conditions still require physical exams, in-person diagnostics, or procedures that can’t be replicated online.
- Fragmented user experiences caused by poor interface design, disconnected systems, or unclear workflows often leave patients frustrated or disengaged. This is especially true when healthcare websites are outdated, hard to navigate, or fail to clearly explain how to access virtual care.
- Security concerns, regulatory complexity, and difficulty building rapport in a virtual setting add further layers of risk.
How to Optimize Your Website for Virtual Care
Optimizing your website for virtual care requires rethinking the entire digital experience.
Your site should guide patients clearly and confidently from interest to action, supporting every step of the virtual journey.
Below are seven proven strategies to help you build a website that delivers care as effectively online as it does in person.
1. Create a Dedicated Virtual Care Hub
In 2025, patients expect digital clarity.
A common challenge in virtual care adoption is confusion: Where do I go? What do I need? How does it work? A dedicated virtual care hub eliminates that friction by centralizing essential information in one clear, accessible space. It also serves as a trust-builder, demonstrating that you’ve thought through the patient journey and made it easier to engage with.
Your virtual care hub should be prominently featured in the main menu and homepage. Include detailed explanations of which services are available online (e.g. primary care, mental health, follow-ups), supported appointment types (live video, asynchronous messaging), and step-by-step instructions for getting started. Visual aids like short videos or infographics help reduce overwhelm.
Make sure the language is patient-friendly, not overly technical, and update it regularly. This hub becomes your digital waiting room and orientation center, preparing patients for a smoother and more confident virtual visit experience.
2. Integrate Real-Time Scheduling and Digital Intake
The ability to book, reschedule, and complete pre-visit paperwork online is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s a must.
Patients expect the same ease they experience with airlines, salons, or food delivery apps. Requiring them to call during office hours, wait on hold, or fill out paper forms on arrival creates unnecessary friction and increases the likelihood of no-shows and late arrivals.
Start by embedding a real-time scheduling tool into your health services website. Choose platforms that sync with your EMR or calendar and display up-to-date availability. Make it easy to filter by provider, service type, or appointment format (in-person vs virtual).
Pair this with digital intake forms that are mobile-responsive, secure, and save patient progress. Intake should include consent forms, symptoms, insurance info, and any relevant history.
Bonus: use automation or medical chatbots to send reminders and allow patients to confirm or reschedule with one click. A smooth intake experience sets the tone for care that feels modern, efficient, and respectful of patients’ time.
Automation can also improve your healthcare operations behind the scenes. It can streamline administrative tasks like appointment scheduling, insurance verification, and follow-up emails.
3. Optimize for Mobile First
Over 70% of healthcare consumers will visit your website from a smartphone or tablet.
If your site isn’t designed with mobile in mind, you’re likely losing patients before they ever book an appointment. Small text, hard-to-tap buttons, slow loading speeds, and layouts that require pinching and zooming create instant frustration especially for patients accessing care while on the go or under stress.
Mobile optimization goes beyond shrinking your desktop site. It means creating a fluid, intuitive experience that adapts to every screen size. Prioritize large, high-contrast buttons, short forms with auto-fill functionality, and clear calls-to-action (“Book Now,” “Start Virtual Visit”). Ensure the most critical content, like contact info, appointment options, and virtual care instructions, is visible within the first screen scroll.
Use tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to audit performance. A well-optimized mobile experience improves engagement, reduces bounce rates, and ensures that patients can access care whenever and however they need it.
4. Ensure HIPAA Compliance and Data Security
Virtual care involves sensitive patient information: names, medical histories, billing details, and live conversations.
If your website doesn’t meet industry security standards, you’re not just risking legal consequences; you’re putting patient trust on the line. Security should be built into your site’s architecture and communicated clearly to users.
Start with the basics: ensure your site uses SSL encryption on every page. This protects all data transferred between the browser and your server. Use secure, HIPAA-compliant platforms for telehealth sessions, messaging, and file uploads. Avoid free or consumer-grade tools that don’t offer Business Associate Agreements.
Implement strong password requirements for patient portal access, and whenever possible, add two-factor authentication. Display trust indicators like privacy policies, compliance badges, and “last updated” security info. Patients will only use virtual care tools if they feel safe. A secure, compliant site builds confidence and keeps you protected from costly breaches or violations.
5. Make Accessibility a Priority
True digital care must be inclusive. That means designing your website so that everyone, regardless of ability, age, or tech proficiency can navigate it with ease.
Accessibility is a legal obligation under the Americans with Disabilities Act and WCAG 2.1 standards. It’s also a reflection of your commitment to equitable care.
Start by ensuring screen reader compatibility and providing alt-text for all images. Use strong color contrast, readable fonts, and scalable text for users with low vision. Make sure all forms are properly labeled so that assistive technologies can interpret them correctly. Navigation should be keyboard-friendly, and you should avoid using flashing or auto-playing elements that can trigger sensory sensitivities.
Add captions or transcripts for any video content, and ensure clickable areas (like buttons or links) are large and clearly identified.
Test your site regularly using accessibility tools like WAVE or Axe. A truly accessible site removes digital barriers and opens your virtual care services to everyone who needs them.
6. Embed or Integrate Virtual Visit Tools
A fragmented care experience can turn a simple telehealth visit into a source of stress.
When patients are sent from your website to a third-party app or unclear platform with multiple logins, poor instructions, or clunky transitions, it increases the chance they’ll abandon the appointment altogether.
The solution? Seamless integration of virtual visit tools directly into your website. Whenever possible, embed HIPAA-compliant video platforms like Zoom for Healthcare, doxy.me, or VSee into a branded, secure page. This helps patients feel like they’re still in your care environment not bounced between unfamiliar systems.
Offer a “Join Virtual Visit” button that activates once an appointment is confirmed. Include step-by-step guides or short tutorial videos so even first-time users can navigate it confidently. Provide a quick tech-check feature to troubleshoot camera and mic issues in advance.
If direct embedding isn’t possible, ensure your handoff is clean: clear instructions, backup contact options, and live support access can make the difference between a missed visit and a successful one.
7. Measure Engagement and Continuously Improve
Your website is a living system that should evolve with your patients’ needs.
Without data, you’re guessing what’s working and what’s broken. Tracking engagement helps you identify where patients are dropping off, which virtual care features they’re using, and how your content is performing.
Start with Google Analytics 4 to monitor traffic, bounce rates, user flows, and conversions (like appointment bookings or portal logins). Set up specific goals for key actions: e.g., “Schedule Telehealth Visit” or “Complete Intake Form.”
Use behavior tools like Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity to generate heatmaps, session recordings, and form analytics. These tools give you insight into what patients are clicking, where they get stuck, and how far they scroll.
Don’t forget qualitative feedback. Add short, anonymous surveys after virtual visits to gather suggestions. Then, use the data you collect to iterate: refining copy, restructuring pages, or improving load times. Continuous optimization ensures your website grows alongside your virtual care services.
Virtual care only works if your website does.
Make it seamless, clear, and built for trust.
Ready to upgrade? Get in contact with OPTASY and start today.
