Healthcare websites face unique challenges with SEO due to Google’s heightened scrutiny of YMYL (Your Money or Your Life) content. Proper schema markup helps establish credibility and can improve visibility in medical-related searches.

Why Schema Matters for Healthcare

YMYL and E-E-A-T

Medical content is YMYL—it can impact users’ health and wellbeing. Google applies stricter quality standards, looking for:

Experience - Real-world medical experience
Expertise - Medical credentials and qualifications
Authoritativeness - Recognition in the medical field
Trustworthiness - Accurate, well-sourced information

Schema markup helps communicate these signals.

Essential Schema Types for Healthcare

1. MedicalOrganization / Physician

For medical practices and healthcare providers:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "MedicalClinic",
  "name": "City Family Medical Center",
  "description": "Comprehensive family medicine serving the community since 1985.",
  "image": "https://example.com/clinic-photo.jpg",
  "url": "https://cityfamilymedical.com",
  "telephone": "+1-555-123-4567",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "100 Health Street",
    "addressLocality": "Anytown",
    "addressRegion": "CA",
    "postalCode": "90210",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": 34.0522,
    "longitude": -118.2437
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": [
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday"],
      "opens": "08:00",
      "closes": "17:00"
    }
  ],
  "medicalSpecialty": "Family Medicine",
  "availableService": [
    {
      "@type": "MedicalProcedure",
      "name": "Annual Physical Examination"
    },
    {
      "@type": "MedicalProcedure",
      "name": "Immunizations"
    }
  ]
}

2. Physician Schema

For individual doctor profiles:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Physician",
  "name": "Dr. Sarah Johnson",
  "image": "https://example.com/dr-johnson.jpg",
  "description": "Board-certified family medicine physician with 15 years of experience.",
  "medicalSpecialty": {
    "@type": "MedicalSpecialty",
    "name": "Family Medicine"
  },
  "url": "https://example.com/doctors/sarah-johnson",
  "telephone": "+1-555-123-4567",
  "worksFor": {
    "@type": "MedicalClinic",
    "name": "City Family Medical Center"
  },
  "alumniOf": {
    "@type": "CollegeOrUniversity",
    "name": "Stanford University School of Medicine"
  },
  "hasCredential": [
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
      "credentialCategory": "Medical Degree",
      "name": "MD"
    },
    {
      "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
      "credentialCategory": "Board Certification",
      "name": "American Board of Family Medicine"
    }
  ],
  "availableService": {
    "@type": "MedicalProcedure",
    "name": "Primary Care Consultation"
  }
}

3. Hospital Schema

For hospital websites:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Hospital",
  "name": "Regional Medical Center",
  "description": "A 350-bed acute care hospital providing comprehensive medical services.",
  "url": "https://regionalmedicalcenter.com",
  "telephone": "+1-555-999-0000",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "500 Hospital Drive",
    "addressLocality": "Anytown",
    "addressRegion": "CA",
    "postalCode": "90210"
  },
  "medicalSpecialty": [
    "Emergency Medicine",
    "Cardiology",
    "Orthopedics",
    "Oncology"
  ],
  "availableService": [
    {
      "@type": "MedicalProcedure",
      "name": "Emergency Care"
    },
    {
      "@type": "MedicalProcedure",
      "name": "Surgical Services"
    }
  ],
  "openingHoursSpecification": {
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": ["Monday", "Tuesday", "Wednesday", "Thursday", "Friday", "Saturday", "Sunday"],
    "opens": "00:00",
    "closes": "23:59"
  }
}

4. Medical Content Articles

For health articles and blog posts:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "MedicalWebPage",
  "name": "Understanding Type 2 Diabetes",
  "description": "Comprehensive guide to Type 2 diabetes symptoms, causes, and treatment options.",
  "url": "https://example.com/health/type-2-diabetes",
  "datePublished": "2025-01-15",
  "dateModified": "2025-01-20",
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Dr. Michael Chen",
    "jobTitle": "Endocrinologist",
    "url": "https://example.com/doctors/michael-chen"
  },
  "reviewedBy": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "Dr. Lisa Williams",
    "jobTitle": "Chief Medical Officer"
  },
  "lastReviewed": "2025-01-18",
  "mainContentOfPage": {
    "@type": "WebPageElement",
    "cssSelector": ".article-content"
  },
  "specialty": {
    "@type": "MedicalSpecialty",
    "name": "Endocrinology"
  }
}

5. FAQ Schema for Medical Questions

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What are the symptoms of Type 2 diabetes?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Common symptoms include increased thirst, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, and blurred vision. However, many people with Type 2 diabetes have no symptoms in the early stages. It's important to get regular screenings, especially if you have risk factors."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How is Type 2 diabetes diagnosed?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Type 2 diabetes is typically diagnosed through blood tests including fasting blood glucose test, A1C test, or oral glucose tolerance test. Your doctor will recommend appropriate testing based on your symptoms and risk factors."
      }
    }
  ]
}

Medical Specialties

Use specific types when applicable:

Dentist
Optician
Pharmacy
VeterinaryCare
MedicalClinic
Hospital
DiagnosticLab

For specialties:

MedicalSpecialty with appropriate values
Reference schema.org/MedicalSpecialty for complete list

Best Practices for Medical Schema

1. Accurate Credentials

Only include verified credentials:

"hasCredential": {
  "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
  "credentialCategory": "Board Certification",
  "recognizedBy": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "American Board of Medical Specialties"
  }
}

2. Medical Reviewer Attribution

Show content is reviewed by qualified professionals:

"reviewedBy": {
  "@type": "Person",
  "name": "Dr. Expert Name",
  "hasCredential": {
    "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
    "name": "MD, Board Certified"
  }
},
"lastReviewed": "2025-01-15"

3. Include Disclaimers

Reference disclaimers in your content (though not in schema directly):

“This information is not a substitute for professional medical advice”
Include sources and citations

4. Keep Information Current

Medical information changes. Update:

dateModified when content is updated
lastReviewed when medically reviewed
Remove outdated information

Appointment Booking Schema

For practices offering online booking:

{
  "@type": "MedicalClinic",
  "name": "City Medical",
  "potentialAction": {
    "@type": "ReserveAction",
    "target": {
      "@type": "EntryPoint",
      "urlTemplate": "https://example.com/book-appointment",
      "actionPlatform": [
        "http://schema.org/DesktopWebPlatform",
        "http://schema.org/MobileWebPlatform"
      ]
    },
    "result": {
      "@type": "Reservation",
      "name": "Medical Appointment"
    }
  }
}

Insurance and Payment

{
  "@type": "MedicalClinic",
  "paymentAccepted": ["Cash", "Credit Card", "Insurance"],
  "currenciesAccepted": "USD",
  "priceRange": "$$"
}

Things to Avoid

Don’t Make Medical Claims

Schema should not make treatment claims or promises:

// BAD - Making claims
"description": "We cure diabetes"

// GOOD - Factual description
"description": "Specialized diabetes care and management"

Don’t Use Fake Reviews

Healthcare review schema must reflect genuine patient experiences.

Don’t Overstate Credentials

Only include actual, verifiable credentials.

Generate Healthcare Schema

Use our JSON-LD Schema Generator to create schema for your healthcare website:

Local Business - Adapt for medical practices
FAQ Schema - Medical questions
Person Schema - Physician profiles
Article Schema - Health content

Conclusion

Healthcare websites benefit significantly from proper schema markup. It helps establish the expertise and trustworthiness that Google looks for in medical content.

Focus on accurate provider information, proper credential attribution, and well-reviewed health content. Keep information current and always prioritize accuracy over marketing claims.

Need help with your healthcare website’s SEO? I can help you implement proper schema markup that builds trust and improves visibility. Get in touch for a consultation.