Medical schema markup

Schema.org is a collaborative project founded by Google, Microsoft, Yahoo, and Yandex that provides a shared vocabulary for describing things on the web.^[1] When you add schema markup to your pages, you are giving search engines explicit, machine-readable context about what your content represents – not just what it says.

Schema markup is embedded in your website's HTML code, typically as a JSON-LD script block in the page header. It is invisible to visitors but readable by every major search engine and an increasing number of AI platforms.^[1] Google specifically recommends JSON-LD as the preferred format because it can be added independently from your HTML content, making it easier to implement and maintain at scale.^[3]

The Schema.org vocabulary contains a Health and Life Sciences extension with over 200 types and 160 properties specific to medicine.^[2] This means healthcare practices have a rich set of markup options that go far beyond what generic business websites can use – from describing specific medical conditions to detailing provider credentials and hospital affiliations.

MedicalOrganization is the primary type for describing a healthcare practice. It supports properties for your practice name, address, phone number, accepted insurance plans, medical specialties, and available services. For multi-location practices, each location should have its own MedicalOrganization entry with a unique address and contact information.^[4]

Physician markup has evolved significantly. As of Schema.org version 24, the type was split into IndividualPhysician (for describing a person) and PhysiciansOffice (for describing a practice location). IndividualPhysician supports properties like practicesAt, medicalSpecialty, hospitalAffiliation, and hasCredential, allowing you to connect each provider to their practice, board certifications, and areas of expertise.^[2]

MedicalCondition and MedicalProcedure describe the clinical content on your website. MedicalCondition supports properties for symptoms, causes, risk factors, and treatment options. MedicalProcedure covers how a treatment works, what body systems it targets, and its expected outcomes. These types help search engines match patient queries to the right pages on your site.^[2]

FAQPage markup structures your frequently asked questions so they can appear as expandable rich results directly in search listings.^[5] For healthcare practices, this is particularly valuable because patients frequently search questions like "does insurance cover physical therapy" or "what to expect during an MRI," and FAQ rich results capture significant click-through traffic from these queries.

Rich results are the most visible benefit of schema markup. When Google recognizes structured data on your pages, it can display enhanced search listings with FAQ dropdowns, star ratings, knowledge panels, breadcrumb navigation, and other visual elements that stand out from standard blue links.^[1] Research has shown that pages with rich results can see click-through rate increases of 20 to 40 percent compared to standard listings.

AI comprehension is an increasingly important benefit. Large language models and AI search tools rely on structured data to understand entity relationships and extract accurate information.^[1] When your practice has proper schema markup identifying it as a MedicalOrganization with specific specialties, treatments, and provider credentials, AI systems can confidently cite and recommend your practice in relevant responses.

Local search visibility improves when LocalBusiness or MedicalOrganization schema correctly specifies your address, service area, and operating hours.^[4] This structured data reinforces the information in your Google Business Profile and helps search engines confidently display your practice in local pack results and map listings.

Voice search accuracy depends heavily on structured data. When patients ask voice assistants questions about conditions, treatments, or nearby providers, the assistant needs machine-readable data to formulate accurate answers. Schema markup provides exactly that structured context.

Start with your homepage and practice pages by adding MedicalOrganization or the appropriate subtype (MedicalClinic, Hospital, Dentist). Include your practice name, full address, phone number, accepted insurance plans, medical specialties, and a link to your appointment booking page. Each physical location should have its own markup with a unique address.^[4]

Add IndividualPhysician markup to each provider's bio page. Include their full name, medical specialty, board certifications using the hasCredential property, hospital affiliations, education, and a link to their practice location using the practicesAt property. This connects your providers to your organization in a way search engines can follow.^[2]

For condition and treatment pages, use MedicalCondition and MedicalProcedure types respectively. Include the condition name, common symptoms, risk factors, and link to the treatments you offer. On treatment pages, describe how the procedure works, which body systems it targets, and its indications. These connections help search engines build a complete picture of your clinical offerings.^[2]

Add FAQPage markup to any page with frequently asked questions. Structure each question-answer pair according to Google's specifications, and ensure the visible page content matches the structured data exactly – Google requires that FAQ schema reflect content that users can actually see on the page.^[5]

Marking up content that is not visible on the page is one of the most common violations of Google's structured data policies. Every property in your schema must correspond to information that visitors can actually see. If your JSON-LD includes insurance plans or specialties that are not mentioned anywhere on the visible page, Google may issue a manual action or ignore the markup entirely.^[3]

Using generic LocalBusiness instead of specific medical subtypes is a missed opportunity. MedicalOrganization, MedicalClinic, Dentist, and Physician carry additional medical-specific properties that LocalBusiness does not support.^[4] Generic types also send weaker signals about your practice's nature and specialty.

Inconsistent information between your schema markup, Google Business Profile, and on-page content confuses search engines. If your schema lists one address but your Google Business Profile shows another, search engines lose confidence in both signals. Audit all three sources regularly to ensure your name, address, phone number, and specialties match exactly.

Failing to update schema when practice details change is surprisingly common. When you add a new provider, change office hours, or stop accepting a particular insurance plan, your structured data must be updated to match. Outdated schema can lead to misleading rich results and erode patient trust.

Google's Rich Results Test is the primary tool for checking whether your structured data qualifies for enhanced search features.^[6] Enter any page URL and the tool reports which rich result types are detected, highlighting errors that must be fixed and warnings about optional improvements. Use this tool after every schema change to verify eligibility.

The Schema Markup Validator at validator.schema.org checks your markup against the full Schema.org specification, catching syntax errors and type mismatches that the Rich Results Test might not flag.^[7] This tool is especially useful for medical schema types that Google does not currently render as rich results but that still contribute to AI comprehension and knowledge graph inclusion.

Google Search Console's structured data reports provide ongoing monitoring after your schema is live. The reports show which rich result types Google has detected across your site, how many pages have valid markup, and any new errors that emerge over time. Set up email alerts so you are notified promptly when issues appear.^[1]

Test frequently and test after every significant change. Schema validation should be part of your regular website maintenance process – not a one-time setup task. Changes to your CMS, theme updates, or plugin upgrades can silently break structured data, so periodic testing catches problems before they affect your search visibility.