How to Improve Your Healthcare Profile Picture: Small Visual Details That Increase Patient Trust and Strengthen Your Business

Camellia Russell MBA, DPM (c)

In a world where patients choose providers online before ever walking through the door, your profile photo does more work than you think. Your healthcare business’s profile picture is an asset. Patients now choose their care providers how they choose everything else online: looking at ratings and reviews, reading comments, and yes…scrutinizing your photos before deciding who they’ll trust. These decisions are often made in seconds. Will a patient tap to book your next available appointment or swipe away?

Here’s what the research says:

Patients want providers who look warm, competent, and approachable. They tend to avoid providers who look cold and serious.

One study published in JMIR mHealth and uHealth found that perceived warmth and approachability were two of the biggest drivers when patients choose providers online.¹ Another study from BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making discovered that facial expression and photo quality impact trustworthiness before readers even look at credentials.² And this study on first clinical impressions found that patients make judgments about their doctors in milliseconds based mainly on eye contact and a slight smile.³

In this case, those judgments can impact booking rates, satisfaction, retention, and referrals.

How a Better Photo Drives Results

Great provider photos help your business in four tangible ways:

• Increase your appointments: Friendly photos lead to higher click-through rates in directories and telehealth apps, leading to more scheduled visits.
• Gain an advantage: On a grid of provider photos, yours will stand out before potential patients ever scroll down to read your bio.
• Build your referral brand: High-quality photos that are uniform create familiarity; this is critical for referral-driven practices such as family medicine, pediatrics, and mental health.
• Improve patient retention: When patients like you before they even meet you in person, they’re more likely to stick with you long-term.

Seven Adjustments That Make a Difference

1. Wear your best smile. Projects warmth and competence simultaneously.

2. Look at the camera. Eye contact creates a perception of authenticity.

3. Relax your eyes and raise your brows. This helps you avoid looking like a “scary doctor.”

4. Eliminate harsh lighting. Lighting that is too bright casts you in an unprofessional light.

5. Eliminate cluttered backgrounds. Solid white, grey, or soft blue will keep the focus on you.

6. Dress the part. Depending on your specialty, wear your white coat, scrubs, or something polished.

7. Sit or stand up straight but remain relaxed.

The Bottom Line

Your profile picture informs whether patients believe you’re competent, which provider they select, and if they return. Between providers, that first impressions can mean the difference between more patients, patient loyalty, and a trusted brand.

The three words your image should communicate: I’m competent. I care. Trust me.

References: 

¹ Shan et al., JMIR mHealth 2019  

² Huang et al., BMC Med Inform 2022 

³ Slepian et al., Annu Rev Clin Psychol 2014

Camellia Russell, MBA engages in clinical training, research, and student leadership. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Eastern University and a B.A. in Psychology from UCLA, combining her medical education with a strong background in business strategy, healthcare communication, and patient engagement. Camellia has presented research at national podiatric conferences, contributed to multiple medical publications, and served in leadership roles within APMSA and ACFAS. Her work reflects a commitment to advancing patient- centered care, health communication, and the intersection of medicine and business.