When a new or returning patient lands on your website, one of two things will happen:

• They’ll quickly find what they need and book an appointment, or…
• They’ll get overwhelmed by clutter and leave frustrated.

Unfortunately, many medical practices confuse the purpose of their homepage and their patient portal—leading to lost trust, lower conversion rates, and higher bounce rates.

Let’s clear it up once and for all. Here’s how to structure your site the right way.

What Your Homepage Should Actually Do

Your homepage is your digital front door. Its job isn’t to be a full sitemap—it’s to build confidence and guide action. Quickly.

The homepage should:

• Introduce your practice clearly—what you do and who you serve
• Provide 1–2 clear calls to action (usually “Book an Appointment” or “Call Now”)
• Highlight what makes your practice different (trust signals, testimonials, services)
• Answer the top patient questions in 10 seconds or less: “Where are you located?” “Are you accepting new patients?” “How do I contact you?”

Think of the homepage as your front desk—not your filing cabinet.

What Belongs in the Patient Portal

Once someone becomes a patient, their needs change. They’re not shopping—they’re trying to get things done. That’s where your patient portal comes in.

Put the following in your portal—not your homepage:

• Billing and insurance statements
• Lab results and health records
• Prescription refill requests
• Appointment rescheduling or secure messaging

This content should live behind a secure login. Don’t make new visitors scroll past “Pay My Bill” just to find out what services you offer.

How to Link Between the Two

It’s fine to include a “Patient Portal” link in your top menu. Just don’t let it dominate the experience for new visitors.

Tip: Use icons or small buttons to signal functionality without overwhelming your homepage design. And always open your portal in a new tab so users don’t lose their place.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Homepage overload: Trying to cram 40 links and widgets above the fold
• Portal front-and-center: Leading with login forms instead of what your practice offers
• Mixed messaging: Using medical jargon or layout choices that only staff would understand

Your homepage should be patient-first. Your portal should be function-first. Mixing them confuses both audiences.

Want to See Examples of Sites That Get It Right?

Check out our roundup of high-performing, patient-friendly designs: See Medical Website Examples.

Bottom Line

Clear structure = better experience = more patients. Don’t let bad layout cost you trust or revenue. Keep the homepage focused on clarity and conversion. Keep the portal focused on secure, streamlined functionality.

When in doubt, simplify.