Where Does WebMD Fit In? A Free Webcast.

By Ben Dillon, Vice President & eHealth Evangelist

WebMD is the single most trafficked Web site dedicated to health-related issues, boasting some 54 million unique visitors monthly and yet few provider organizations consider it as a part of their online strategy.

On Wednesday, I’m co-presenting a Webinar with Cynthia Newton of HCCG and Brian Bierbaum of Priority entitled Optimizing WebMD to Reach Your Target Audience.  We’ll look at what WebMD brings to the table and the various opportunities to utilize this destination site in your overall plan. 

On the road again…

By Ben Dillon, Vice President & eHealth Evangelist

Healthcare Web sites are failing to live up to consumers expectations.  I talk about this regularly as part of the presentations I give, and I find that the thought resonates more when I provide some context:

“Consumers are managing every major aspect of their lives online today.  They book travel online, do their banking online, manage their retirement accounts online…they even use the Web for dating. And then they want to make an appointment with their doctor, requiring a phone call sometime between 9 and 4…”

It resonates better that way.  Attendees nod and seem to understand.  However, when I talk to some attendees after the presentation, I often find out that they get the concept, but haven’t embraced the Web in that way.  And because they’re casual Web users, they don’t feel the pain their consumers feel.

What is an Empowered Health Consumer, Anyway?

By Ben Dillon, Vice President & eHealth Evangelist

So much of what is done in the eHealth space has a fuzzy value proposition attached to it. One of the recurring themes that I hear for healthcare providers and many healthcare vendors is that they are trying to empower health consumers (or patients). It’s a theme that’s receiving attention from a great many sources – the government, insurers and employers.

Research Uncovers User Trends

By Eric Engelmann, President & CEO

It seems our industry talks a lot about developing products with the end user in mind at all times, but that isn’t always the case.  In fact, some functionality that was intended to be user-friendly is anything but.  It’s important to us at Geonetric that the user experience is always at the forefront of our development process, and we’ve taken steps to ensure that’s the case. As we release the next generation of our VitalSite software we’re in a perfect situation to perform user experience research and have uncovered some really interesting information. 

Most recently, we focused on the Physician Directory. Too often we find that hospitals deploy physician directory applications designed primarily for internal use. For example, the data is often a simple export of credentialing data without detail to help visitors make decisions about providers, the bios lack photos, and the search criteria are complex and require familiarity with medical terminology.

In contrast, our approach is to build a module that focuses entirely on the user experience.

Crashing the Super Bowl Party

By Devendra Shrikhande, Senior Project Manager

An extremely unscientific and informal poll around the Geonetric kitchen affirms that overall, the Super Bowl commercials this year were as underwhelming as last year. However, spare a thought for the “poor” Super Bowl commercials. When you are part of a pregame hype that seems to last longer than a presidential primary, and then are inserted into the flow of some of the best Super Bowls, you will likely be reduced to the level of your lowly siblings that interrupt regular television programming.

Designing for Today’s Web User

By Casey Hansen, Front-end Developer

We’ve all seen Web sites with flashing graphics, waving backgrounds and music. We’ve seen pictures fly across the browser window, and navigation menus that feel like a poor version of the old “Whack-A-Mole” game.

Today’s Web user is on your Web site for one main reason: content. They are looking for answers to their questions! Are they interested in all of the flashy design features? To most users (including me), this is just extra eye-candy that can sometimes get in the way of the ultimate goal: seeking information.

Making the wait bearable: Knowing the wait time

By Matt Youngblut, Technology Implementation Manager

I ran across an interesting article about queuing psychology - in other words: waiting in line – and it got me thinking about waiting in the urgent care.  I’ve taken my daughter there when she’s been sick, and nothing makes me more anxious than waiting with a sick child to get in to see the doctor.

After reading the article, I realize that it is not just me who has these anxieties.  The study found that letting people know upfront the length of the wait reduces their stress.  

HSI – Behind the Glass: Real Time Usability Testing for a Patient Portal with Actual Patients

By Ben Dillon, Vice President & eHealth Evangelist

Henry Ford presented the usability analysis for their Web site.  They used three tools for their assessment – Heuristic analysis (having experts look at the site and make recommendations, this time by Nielsen-Norman Group), Focus Groups and crazyegg.com.

HSI – Newspapers, Healthcare and Schools …

By Ben Dillon, Vice President & eHealth Evangelist

Newspaper Web guru Rob Curley presented his thoughts on the evolution of the Web from where he’s sitting.  He’s now with the Las Vegas Sun.  True, the world of the traditional printed newspaper is under assault, but they’ve taken an eyes-open overhaul of both their print and online editions.

Good Design at the Ballot Box

By Dan Levengood, Senior Project Specialist

When you think of “good design,” what comes to mind? Is it your favorite sculpture, a frequently visited Web page, or a German automobile? 

Whatever it may be, I’m pretty sure it’s not a voting ballot, unless you’re this guy.

As we approach the elections in November, the New York Times recently ran a blog post and an interactive piece on the importance of design and the ballot.