Private Clinic Website: Build Trust and Fill Appointments

In brief: In Türkiye, a healthcare provider's website is an information resource, not an advertising showcase. The Regulation on Promotion and Information Activities in Healthcare Services, which took effect on 12 November 2025, prohibits advertising, restricts the use of fees, discounts, campaigns, and patient testimonials in promotion, and sets requirements such as displaying the last update date and editor contact details. A good clinic website builds trust through accurate provider information, clear explanations of services, easy appointments, data protection, and reliable technology.

Last updated: September 2026. This article is not legal advice. Consult the regulation and seek guidance from your Provincial Health Directorate, relevant professional chamber, and legal adviser.

Why does a healthcare website work differently?

Prospective patients often search online before choosing a doctor or clinic, but digital promotion in healthcare operates under stricter rules than in other industries. Under the text of the regulation, overt or covert advertising of healthcare services is prohibited; informational activity is allowed only under specific conditions. This regulation replaced the earlier rules dated 29 July 2023.

The central question for a clinic website is therefore not “How can we sell more?” but “How can we give patients accurate and sufficient information?”

What does the regulation say about websites?

This is a high-level summary of the regulation and commentary from law firms and professional associations. Check the current text before publishing:

• Show the last update date and editor contact details clearly on the website.
• Medical content must be prepared or approved by authorized healthcare professionals, and every published claim should be based on scientific evidence (Hanyaloğlu & Acar legal summary).
• Fees, discounts, campaigns, and promotions may not appear in promotional or informational materials, subject to separate exceptions for international health tourism.
• Patient thank-you messages and satisfaction statements may not be shared as advertising.
• Before-and-after images are permitted only under conditions: use the same setting and technical conditions, state the procedure and photo dates, do not alter the image, obtain the patient's written consent, and include the notice “Results may vary from person to person for every surgical or interventional procedure.” Images of intimate areas and footage of surgery may not be published.
• Search-engine registration is allowed, but keywords and information shown in results must comply with the regulation. Page titles and descriptions should not use phrases such as “cheapest” or “discounted.”
• Penalties range from administrative fines to disciplinary proceedings; committees established at provincial level review cases.

Older “clinic website that attracts patients” guides often recommend price lists, campaign banners, walls of patient testimonials, and unrestricted before-and-after galleries. These are no longer appropriate under the current rules. Review them if your website uses such content.

What a clinic website should include

1. Provider and legal details

Show the provider's full legal name, address, phone, license information, and hours, along with the website editor and last update date. These details support both compliance and trust.

2. Physician and care-team profiles

Profiles can include education, specialty, professional memberships, and publications. Avoid comparative or superiority claims such as “the city's best surgeon.”

3. Informational medical content

Condition and treatment pages should be dated, based on scientific sources, and approved by a physician. They can explain symptoms, diagnostic methods, treatment options, and when to see a doctor. This informs patients and makes the information easier for search and AI systems to cite. For visibility in AI answers, see our GEO guide.

4. Easy online appointments

Keep the booking form short: name, phone number, preferred department, and a time window. Do not ask for symptoms or diagnosis details in the form. Confirmation and reminder messages improve the patient experience and can reduce missed appointments. See our online appointment system guide.

5. Directions and contact options

Provide a map, parking and transit details, tap-to-call, and a WhatsApp link. If you set up automated WhatsApp replies, take extra care with health data; see our WhatsApp chatbot guide.

Personal data protection and health information

Health information is special-category personal data under Türkiye's Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK) and requires stronger protection. Practical principles:

• Collect only what is necessary on the website; do not request symptoms or diagnosis details in a general form.
• Link the privacy notice to each form. Where explicit consent is required, collect it using a separate, optional checkbox.
• Protect forms and the admin panel with encrypted connections, strong authentication, and access controls.
• Manage cookies and analytics according to user preferences; minimize third-party tracking on health pages.
• If you use a patient's image or story, obtain the written consent required by the regulation and KVKK, and make clear that it can be withdrawn.

Local visibility

The regulation does not prevent a clinic from appearing in search engines, and registration is permitted. An accurate, up-to-date Google Business Profile (address, phone, hours, and service category), consistent provider details, and a fast, mobile-friendly website are the foundations of local visibility. See our local SEO guide for ranking fundamentals. For profile content and reviews, follow the regulation and your professional chamber's guidance; avoid campaigns, prices, and featured patient testimonials.

Technical foundations

• Speed and mobile support: Most patients browse on a phone. Google's Core Web Vitals thresholds are useful targets.
• Accessibility: Use readable text, strong contrast, and keyboard navigation for older patients and people with disabilities.
• Security: Use HTTPS, apply regular updates, keep backups, and use role-based permissions and activity logs in the admin panel.
• Content management: Make it easy to update the page's editor and last-update date from the admin panel, and include a physician-approval workflow.

Common mistakes

1. Publishing a price list, campaign banner, or phrases such as “first visit is free.”
2. Posting patient reviews, thank-you cards, or satisfaction videos.
3. Using before-and-after photos without following the requirements (different lighting, filters, or no consent).
4. Publishing medical articles without physician approval and a date.
5. Collecting health information in the appointment form.
6. Using claims such as “best” or “lowest price” in page titles and descriptions.

What Aktaş Digital can provide

Our private clinic and healthcare website solution includes physician profiles, treatment and service pages, online appointments, privacy-conscious form handling, map integration, and local SEO foundations. We can structure the site to support the regulation, including update-date and editor fields, no campaign or pricing components, and an approval workflow. The provider remains responsible for regulatory compliance, so we recommend having you and your legal adviser approve the final copy. Contact us through the project inquiry form.

Frequently asked questions

Can I publish a price list on my clinic website?

The regulation does not allow fees, discounts, campaigns, and promotions in promotional or informational materials, subject to separate exceptions for international health tourism. Price information should be provided to the patient after examination, within the healthcare provider.

Can I show patient testimonials on my website?

Sharing patient thanks and satisfaction statements for promotional purposes is prohibited. Avoid testimonial walls, “patient feedback” sections, and similar content.

Can I publish before-and-after photos?

The regulation allows them only under specific conditions: consistent photo conditions, dates, no image alterations, written patient consent, and the required notice. They may not be used in sponsored content. As this is a legal matter, consult your legal adviser and Provincial Health Directorate before using them.

Can I promote a clinic through Google Ads?

The regulation significantly restricts sponsored promotion. Do not buy ads without first confirming the applicable rules for your provider's legal status.

Is an online appointment system mandatory?

No, but it is strongly recommended for the patient experience and operational efficiency. The booking system should comply with KVKK and collect only the minimum information needed.

Can I add an AI chatbot to the website?

It is technically possible, but a chatbot that processes health information needs extra safeguards under KVKK and the regulation. Limit its scope, prevent it from giving medical advice, offer a handoff to a person, and define how data is retained. Plan such a project with legal guidance.

Conclusion

A clinic website should build trust with accurate, accessible information, rather than trying to persuade people through advertising. Compliant content, clear physician and provider information, easy appointments, and a privacy-conscious technical foundation can reduce legal risk and strengthen patient trust.