Why Does a Doctor Need a Website?

Do I need a website? The general answer is almost always: yes! Every business benefits from a well-managed website. For a doctor, a website is absolutely crucial.

Why is it so important? Because it is the most effective, affordable, and passive way to build a personal brand. A gardener without a strong personal brand can manage reasonably well—even if a client doubts their skills, if they win on price, convenience, or are more pleasant than the competition, they might still get the client. Even if the hedge trimming isn’t perfect, it will grow back and can be trimmed again or cut lower to make it even. The loss is minimal and not very personal, so the low risk of failure reduces the need for a professional image.

Now, let’s look at it from a client's perspective, using an orthopedic surgeon and a person needing a hip replacement as an example. The surgery is, first of all, expensive for the average person (several to tens of thousands), so spending such an amount is usually preceded by careful consideration. The surgery is not extremely urgent—it can be done in six months without major consequences—so no one will rush to judge the doctors. Secondly, this surgery affects the entire life of the client. If it succeeds, the patient can return to various sports activities and enjoy life with their grandchildren for many years. If it doesn’t go well, they might face ongoing issues with their leg, and the hip may need to be operated on again in 5-10 years instead of many more years.

Now, imagine being the client. They go on a medical review site and see two orthopedic surgeons in their city: Dr. Jacek and Dr. Andrzej. Both have around 40 reviews (mostly positive), see patients at several locations, and the prices at these clinics are similar. The choice becomes quite difficult. The reviews don’t mostly concern surgeries (most are about the doctor being friendly and explaining ultrasound results or referring to physiotherapy after a muscle tear, with only one or two reviews about surgeries like meniscus or ACL issues).

Now, imagine one of them has a link on the review site to their personal website “jacek-iksinski.pl”. They visit the site and find:

1. A professional and sporty photo (to show the orthopedic surgeon is close to athletes).

2. A testimonial from a patient who can now go on hiking trips and ride a bike again after hip replacement surgery.

3. A testimonial from a top-league football player who had ACL reconstruction, plus a video of them scoring a hat-trick.

4. Statistics: 60 ACL surgeries, 80 meniscus surgeries, 15 PCL surgeries, 115 knee replacements, 85 hip replacements, several rotator cuff surgeries, and dozens of spine surgeries.

5. On another page, certificates, photos from conferences (in Poland and Europe), and a photo with the most frequently cited professor in the country, possibly with a note that Dr. Jacek is, in the professor’s opinion, an outstanding specialist.

In such a situation, the choice is obvious! Even if the second doctor has similar achievements, they haven’t showcased them anywhere, while Dr. Jacek has clearly surpassed him in professionalism and presentation. The client will feel a thousand times more confident going for a pre-operative consultation with Dr. Jacek rather than Dr. Andrzej. Now, Dr. Jacek’s only job is not to spoil the good first impression.

Now, some readers might be horrified—preparing something like this seems like a huge amount of work. Not quite—certificates, photos, and statistics are already available; it’s just a matter of recalling where they are. Two or three longer testimonials might already exist or require just a few phone calls. You just need to gather a few important facts for the site. Then, contact our company, and within a week or two, you can enjoy your new website. Let’s say it requires 2-3 hours of honest work. It’s still very minimal compared to the value this work will bring. We’ll handle the rest—website creation, SEO, domain, hosting, information updates, and website security are all included in our package.

Are there other ways to create a strong personal brand (e.g., without paying for a website)? Certainly, but they are much more difficult. The best alternative is to manage social media—Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok—with regular posts, reels, and continuous activity. This is a very powerful way to build a personal brand, but not very cost-effective—you’d have to become a part-time influencer. Of course, if that’s your goal, it’s ideal, but if the primary goal is to attract a specific client group, a website is much simpler (almost requiring no attention—our company handles it for you) and ultimately cheaper, especially when you factor in the time spent managing social media. It’s very hard to be both a good influencer and a good doctor simultaneously.

What about just having a mention on a hospital’s website? It helps, but a personal website has several advantages:

1. It contains much more information—it's easy to include several pages and numerous photos, testimonials, etc. A hospital website typically has only a few brief details.

2. You can stand out much more—you’re not just one of 100 subpages but a unique digital entity.

3. You’re not dependent on a single entity—if you work at various locations, a personal website makes you independent. Additionally, if you change your place of work, you don’t lose your business card.

4. It doesn’t exclude a mention on the hospital’s website—adding a link to your personal website on a subpage is no problem. You don’t lose any benefits from one option and combine the positives of both.

In conclusion, not having your own website is an irrational economy. The benefits far outweigh the costs. Even if someone thinks their professional situation is good and new clients aren’t necessary, having such a business card is worth considering. A strong personal brand opens many doors. It’s much easier to get into an interesting conference with a professional image. It’s good to have a place where anyone who checks you out will land.