Mobile vs. Desktop: Designing Healthcare Websites for the Modern User

In the ever-evolving landscape of wireless technology, mobile devices have emerged as a dominant force, transforming the way we access information and services. As mobile healthcare takes center stage in the wireless era, healthcare marketers are modernizing their strategies to cater to the growing demand for mobile experiences and meet evolving consumer expectations.

Today, according to CTIA, a trade organization for the wireless communications industry, Americans own 499 million wireless devices capable of transmitting and receiving broadband signals 117 percent faster than just 13 years ago. In 2021, wireless traffic topped 53 trillion MBs — more data traffic than 2010 through 2017 combined. Five years from now, according to a 2022 report from Ericsson, consumers will nearly quintuple their mobile data use to 240 trillion MBs.

Mobile devices may soon dominate the broadband market as well. BroadbandSearch says mobile users’ share of broadband traffic in 2019 rose to 53 percent. Desktop and laptop computers won’t go away, but mobile broadband access will continue growing at a healthy pace.

No longer a secondary focus of website redesign, healthcare digital marketers are building and refining sophisticated mobile experiences and expanding online options and capabilities to reflect emerging trends in wireless technology and consumer expectations.

We spoke with two health organizations that received “Best Mobile Website” platinum awards from the eHealthcare Leadership Awards — Inspira Health in southern New Jersey and the University of Iowa Health Care (UI Health Care) — to find answers to the following questions:

• How do mobile websites differ from desktop versions?
• What are health providers trying to accomplish from a mobile user perspective?
• What design parameters are they employing to meet user needs?

Discover the innovative strategies these leading organizations are using to create user-friendly mobile experiences that reflect emerging trends and meet consumer expectations, in our new article: Platinum Award-Winning Mobile Websites Offer Enhanced User Experience

Best regards,
Matt Humphrey
President