Websites & patient experience · Practical guide

Explain why the building has a different name

A confirmation names the practice, while the entrance and map show a building or former business name. Patients may think they have arrived at the wrong address. A practice name may be absent from the large sign on the building. Explain that connection before arrival: the practice is inside the named venue, at the stated address.

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Healthcare website and appointment calendar displayed on devices at an empty clinic reception.
Make the website useful for the people who use your practice.

What to change

Explain the relationship between the names before the visit. Use the exact names visible on signs and confirmations, avoiding a long history that obscures the arrival task.

A worked example

Illustrative example

A consultation is booked with Orchard Practice inside West House. The location page says to look for West House at the entrance and ask for Orchard Practice at the building reception.

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Make the service and next step clear on every screen.
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Review keyboard access, contrast and understandable form fields.

Put it into practice

Keep the venue name consistent in directions and booking messages. Ask reception what visitors say when they call from outside. If they commonly ask whether they are at the right place, the page probably needs that simple reassurance more than a longer description of the area.

Include the building name in the arrival message where it aids recognition. Patients should not need to return to the website to connect the address with the sign outside.

What to agree before publishing

Connect the practice and building names in a short factual sentence near the address. Explain what sign visitors should look for and where the practice sits inside the venue. Ask reception whether callers regularly say they cannot see the practice name outside. Their questions can identify the missing reassurance. Use the same building name in confirmations and directions, so someone arriving with a saved message can recognise the location without reopening the website to resolve two apparently different destinations.

How to check the result

Someone who sees the building name instead of the practice name can still recognise the correct destination.

A mistake to avoid

Do not replace the official practice name everywhere with the building name, because patients still need to match their appointment confirmation.

Turn reading into a next step

Your action checklist

Work through these checks with your team or supplier. Tick the ones you have resolved and leave unknowns open.

Checks to discuss

Record what you know, what is still missing and the answer you need from your team or supplier.

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Further reading

These sources provide background for the topic. The practice examples and checklist are illustrative planning suggestions from Kay & Co.

Related guides

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