Marketshare for Healthcare

Recently, we wrote about UX (User-Experience Design), a research-based discipline that guides the creation of sites that drive profits. Rooted in strategy and based on defined business goals and desired customer behaviors, UX ensures that users find the information that’s most important (and profitable) on your hospital website.

In exploring the topic, we likened UX to digital wayfinding, the setting of guideposts that connect individuals with what they’re seeking (and what you want them to find). But you can’t have an effective sign without effective content – and that’s why the marriage of CS (Content Strategy) and User-Experience Design is the true formula for hospital websites with impact.

Ever wonder what people are saying about your healthcare brand on some of the most popular social networks like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace?  To get a taste in a matter of moments, we recommend that you head over to Google and check out their updated search features. It’s a great way to take the pulse of your healthcare brand…kind of like an online check-up!

Here’s all you need to do:

Go to www.google.com Type the name of your organization into the search box and click search Click on the “more” drop-down on the left side of the page and click updates. Now explore what the masses are talking about. Keep in mind that this is a free service and won’t have all the bells/whistles/capabilities of a paid social monitoring tool – but why not become familiar with this free way to get a glimpse into the vast amount of data available?

Not only can you monitor your healthcare brand on the major social networking sites. You can also search discussions on forums and...

When a patient arrives at your hospital, where do you want them to go? The Emergency Room, perhaps…or upstairs to the maternity ward located on floor three?

The answer, of course, depends on the audience. A hospital is comprised of many simultaneously functioning service lines and functions, and serious resources are often dedicated toward maximizing the site flow for optimal efficiency. This is addressed through wayfinding – the practice of orienting individuals in physical space to get them where they need to go.

Now re-read the first two paragraphs, and rather than imagining your physical hospital location, think about your hospital website.

In the digital world, the best corollary to wayfinding is the discipline known as user-experience design, or UX. Much like wayfinding defines the patient experience as they move through your hospital, this “digital wayfinding” practice starts with research and then paves pathways through your website based on: Your business goals and strategic plan;...