By Dan Levengood, Senior Product Specialist

There is an article in the latest issue of The Atlantic titled, “Is Google Makings us Stupid?”  It’s an excellent read.   The article points out various ways Google is changing how we learn, read, research and digest information.  Good stuff.  However, I think they give Google too much credit.

We don’t read, we scan

If you haven’t noticed, you don’t really read Web pages.  You scan them.   You can blame scanning on the Internet’s ability to give us immediate access to the world’s information, and Google for indexing the information.

Scanning in place of actual reading has brought about a fundamental change in the way we write. It has also changed the way we learn.  We aren’t getting stupid; we’re simply processing information much more efficiently.

Why? Immediate access and Google

Immediate access is the number one culprit to this general lack of reading. On any given Web page, a user has hundreds, even thousands* of opportunities to navigate away from the page with just one click. (*Think about it; links in the page content, links around the page content, navigation on the page,  your back button, toolbars, multiple open tabs/Windows, bookmarks, etc.)

Google certainly has something to do with this change.  Google added to the immediate access theory by revolutionizing search engine indexing.  It’s easy to search for something; simply click the first result, scan the page, and hit your back button to return to explore the other 10,000 results.

Google also tempts us to “google” anything we want, at any time, by simply typing an idea into their free Web browser search toolbars.  The toolbar, only a few inches away at any moment, makes it easy for a user to have immediate access, at their fingertips, to billions of pages of information.

Writing efficiently

Once Webmasters figured out they only had a few moments to prove to the user that they are on the correct page, they started to change the way they wrote.  The main objective of this change was to write as efficiently and broad-based as possible, capturing the reader’s attention instantly.  Gone is the fluff and extra words.  They get to the point ASAP.  Just mention bounce rate to a Webmaster and watch him/her cringe!

To capture a user’s attention, the experts settled on some of the following techniques:

• Always use numbered/ordered/bulleted lists (like the one you’re reading now)
• Write meaningful headers/sub-headers
• Cut word count in half from printed text
• Structure ideas using the inverted pyramid style
• Use hypertext to bold words, drawing attention to them

A new, smart, reader is born

Now that we have billions of efficient, keyword stuffed, intelligently headlined, indexed (via hypertext) pages on the Interwebs, we also have a new breed of readers.  These new readers have short attention spans, are short on time, hate stale information, and demand well-written content.

No need to learn how to speed read, or buy the Cliff Notes version.  Information on the Web is already being presented to you as concise and condensed as possible.  

Remember, you’re not getting dumb because you no longer order books on Amazon or go to the local library on a weekly basis, or get back to read that bookmarked link from six months ago. 

You’ve actually gotten wiser.  You’ve realized that you can read more information, efficiently, on the Web.

By Sandra VanWyk-Fancher, Vice President of Operations

I can’t make up my mind.  Some months, my favorite part of the project is the kickoff, which includes spending time at our client’s location to learn about who they are, their brand, their goals and their team.  Together, we brainstorm and develop a roadmap for their online presence.  What could be better than planning for this new life?

 Well… in June, I’ve decided my favorite part of the project is the launch.  We had three different hospitals- three totally unique sites-that support their own brands with their own goals all come together in their own unique way for a glorious birth into the E-Net world.

Don’t ask me which one is my favorite. They all are…just like my children. 

Carle.org was my “first-born;” it was the first-born on our latest version of VitalSite 5 that is.  Just like any first, there are new challenges and new excitements with every little step.  Carle has our new Calendar of Events, which is the best online hospital calendar I’ve ever seen.  Their content is well written and just plain beautiful.  There’s a lot to offer on this site, but what excites me the most is the future plans and projects all ready in place.

St Luke’s Hospital, MyStLukesOnline.org, is my favorite for its use of photos that support their brand, their radiology videos, their My Hospital testimonials,  their commitment to going green and a marketing and IT team that worked so well together I forgot they were in different departments.

Then of course, there’s my other favorite, a hospital in Kentucky who not only exceeded expectations with their ideas, creativity and teamwork, but remained committed to developing a top-notch site in the midst of significant, competing internal projects.

Just like my children, I strive to understand each one’s individuality and work with them to develop their own strengths.  Unlike my children (who are 2 and 3), there are no time-outs, no meltdowns and no stinky attitudes.  Working with our clients is what makes this job so easy.

Don’t ask me in August, which is my favorite, it’s kickoff season!

By Devendra Shrikhande, Senior Project Manager

According to National Technology Scan, a study conducted by Parks Associates, approximately 18% of U.S. households (20 million in all) are without Internet access. While this number has shrunk from the 29 % (31 million homes) at the end of 2006, we are seeing the adoption curve flatten a bit as only seven percent of the 20 million “disconnected” homes plan to bridge the digital divide.

Another interesting fact is that 21% of respondents have never looked up a Web site or information on the Internet and 22% have never sent or received an email.  And nearly one of out of three households has never used a computer to create a document! I am sure most of you share my surprise at these numbers.

While overcoming the digital divide is a complex issue that has substantial social overtones , one cannot escape the business implications of such statistics.

In other words, if you are placing an emphasis on using the online channel to connect to your audience and deliver value to your market, are you automatically ignoring 18% of it?

Well, not exactly, because this number can either fall or rise based on the market you are targeting.  It is an unfortunate reality of the digital divide that while education and income levels are directly proportional to internet access and computer use, the relationship is inverse with reference to the user’s age (the internet is used less by older adults).

So in terms of commerce and industry, online initiatives engage a comparatively target-rich environment, but we also need to be aware that for certain areas of our services, our spread may not be as wide we perceive it.

Is this a disadvantage? Not necessarily so – as I think there is a potential for a portion of an untapped market. If we do a better job of coordinating our online and offline processes, we can help shape the opinion of those that do not perceive the internet and computers delivering sufficient value.

Bridging the digital divide requires a combination of forces working together. While the government can certainly address certain social aspects of the disadvantaged, technology and individual entities do also have a role in helping deliver change and add to the quality of life.

By Kristen Snider, Data Analyst 

As they go through the budget process, many healthcare organizations find themselves fighting for each dollar.  Finding and retaining adequate staff to complete all the little (which are usually big) marketing/IT projects that come through the door can become quite daunting.  What you need is concrete evidence. When your management team asks you to reach for the stars, you need evidence that proves you need financial and staffing resources to make it happen. 

Geonetric has the solution.  Each year Geonetric administers a survey to collect the insights of healthcare organizations and their employees that support their online initiatives.  From this data, Geonetric looks at where the industry has been and where it is going.  The survey only takes about 10 minutes to complete and provides tangible results that day-to-day users can use to justify their actions and help shape their objectives.

Our annual benchmarking study can help educate and re-affirm those thoughts you already know to be true.  Are you behind in your online initiatives or are you preparing for the trends taking place this year, and next year?  Do you have adequate staff for your hospital or health system’s size? 

Take our survey to help us depict the healthcare marketing and IT environments. From these responses, Geonetric produces a white paper that details the nature of the eHealth industry and gives insight into where the industry is headed. 

Being informed isn’t the only perk to taking our survey!  At the end of each week, we will draw a winner from those that have already taken the survey to award a $50 Amazon.com gift card.  So the earlier you take the survey, the more opportunities you have to win.  You will also receive a discount on the survey white paper, which will be out this fall.  If you need the answers and insight today, the 2007 Study on Initiatives in eHealth is still available.

Geonetric is committed to making sure our clients and prospects are aware of the industry and know where it is headed.  Now is the time, our survey is up and running and will close July 31, 2008.

 So next time you hear your CEO suggest improvements to your site, you can refer to the industry trends outlined in Geonetric’s study and recommend where you feel the organization’s online initiatives should be focused. And, you’ll have the research to prove it.

By Ben Dillon, Vice President & Corporate Evangelist

I ran out of time during last week’s Webinar “Meet Consumer Expectations” and was left with some questions that were naturals for a response here on GeoVoices. These questions boil down to the following:

Can you list some hospitals that are setting up their own social networks? How do we do this? What do we need to do to make these successful?

In other words, “We want to start our own online community, what should we do?” Without knowing details about your organization, audiences that you seek, or communities you envision setting up, the answer is you probably shouldn’t start a community!

Start by asking the question - Why does your brand need its own online community?

If the network you envision truly doesn’t exist or if the audience you’re trying to reach isn’t participating in an online community (but if they are willing to do so if such a community is sponsored by your organization), then this makes sense. On the other hand, if you think that you can control your message through this network, think again!

For most hospitals, the strategy should be to go to where your audience is, rather than making them come to you. An example of this was brought to my attention through a blog post by Shel Holtz, which discussed Parkland Health & Hospital System’s efforts to reach out to teens through MySpace.

One of my favorite bloggers on topics of social networking, Forrester’s Jeremiah Owyang, recently participated in a virtual roundtable on the question of when it’s appropriate to create your own social network. This podcast dives into much greater detail on the situations under which a private-label online community would be appropriate.

Signing up for a new online community presents a barrier even for people who are comfortable with social networking. Utilizing a community in which your audience already has accounts and checks regularly greatly increases the ease with which they can get involved.

By Linda Barnes, Vice President of Strategic Services

“In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends.” John Curton Collins

Eastern Iowa’s recent adversity - the massive flooding - is giving us the opportunity to truly know our many, many friends.  And although we can never thank them adequately, I’d like to highlight just a few of the kind gestures we’ve received.

When the flooding first began, we had clients emailing and calling us for status reports. You might think their concerns were about us meeting project deadlines or business continuity. Nope - our daily communications had answered those questions. What we heard were concerned voices asking what they could do to help and where they could send financial support for our impacted employees. We set up a Helping Hands fund for the generous donations from concerned clients. Those funds are greatly appreciated and will be used to help our employees who have been displaced and whose homes have been flooded.

Yesterday afternoon, two of our clients who are near enough to drive to our offices brought their vehicles loaded with supplies.  We know for a fact that these thoughtful people have a full schedule of meetings, deadlines, and priorities within their own organizations. For them to take time out of their week to lend us a hand means more than they can know. Their donations of clothing, cleaning supplies, and furniture will be incredibly useful as our employees begin the recovery phase. 

One of my favorite client support stories is from Mercy Medical Center, who at the height of the flood had to evacuate all their patients. You can read the blog post of how we worked with them during that event. What hasn’t been shared is a conversation with their Marketing Manager the very next week. After the kind comments, “I cannot thank you all enough for everything you’ve done,” came the amazing offer, “Are your employees OK? What can we do to help them?” What remarkable generosity of spirit.

And it’s not just our clients. We’ve had concerned emails and calls from prospective clients and friends from across the healthcare industry. Last Friday, one of our friendly competitors demonstrated their support by having pizza delivered for all of our employees. There was no reason other than they wanted us to know they were thinking of us. Thanks, Paul and team - you’re a class act!

On behalf of all our employees - those who were displaced from their homes, worried over the pets they had to leave behind and were later united with, waited anxiously to find out if they would have to demolish or clean and repair their homes, and are now spending their evenings and weekends throwing out mold-infested furniture and personal belongings … and those of us who worried and prayed for them and are now doing our best to help them rebuild - thank you.

When I first interviewed at Geonetric two years ago, one of the selling points was the kindness within the healthcare community - people who choose to help others for a living approach “business” a little differently. It sounded nice, but being a skeptic at heart, I wasn’t sure I totally bought it. I am now totally convinced.  Thank you, friends - I’m humbled and proud to be a part of this community.

By: Heather Stanley, Marketing Communications Writer

I’ll be honest.  Prior to working at Geonetric I knew very little about Web site accessibility or how people with disabilities are able to interact with the Internet. 

I remember when Michael Herring, our in-house expert, demonstrated a JAWs reader during a Webinar.  It was intriguing to hear how the technology works, and very illustrative of how important the coding is to ensuring the reader works properly.  I know how easily frustrated I become when maneuvering a Web site that is less than user-friendly.  I can only imagine the level of frustration experienced by those who are dependent on assistive technologies to read newspapers or shop online when they encounter a poorly coded Web site.

This week is Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness week.  The theme for this year’s Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness week, held June 22 - 28, 2008, is “Shift how you think - the importance of technology in the lives of people who are deaf-blind.”

There is no question technology is opening doors and improving the quality of lives of many people who live with disabilities.  While helping Michael perform research for our Web site accessibility white paper, I came across an example that really hit home with me.

According to Introduction to Web site Accessibility, “The Internet is one of the best things that ever happened to people with disabilities. Before the Internet, how did blind people read newspapers? They mostly didn’t. Audiotapes or Braille printouts were expensive - a Braille version of the Sunday “New York Times” would be too bulky to be practical. At best, they could ask a family member or friend to read the newspaper to them. This method works, but it makes blind people dependent upon others.”

Many clients turn to Geonetric to help make their business case for doing Web accessibility, and I’m proud that we have Michael’s passion, knowledge, and skill on staff to help our clients make an educated decision. 

Download a copy of our free white paper to learn more about Web accessibility-including the physical impairments addressed by accessible sites, assistive technologies, benefits of having an accessible site, tips for constructing an accessible site, and legal implications of non-compliance.

By Heather Rast, Interactive Experience Manager

McDonalds may have dropped their “Supersize” menu upgrade due to increased attention on American’s diets and tendency to overconsume.  But the “moderation” bandwagon isn’t exactly overcrowded, as evidenced by walking down any grocery or convenience aisle, attending any major sporting event, or flipping through any consumer magazine.

Fact is, brands are scrambling to reach their audiences, impress them repeatedly to help build affinity, and ultimately incite (lure?) them to trial through a myriad of seemingly unconventional ways.  Sometimes the format is large, splashy, and in-your-face (uh, how about the beloved interstitial ads?).  But occasionally it’s more subtle than that.

Enter the favicon.  A pint-sized pictograph.  A visual cue.  A graphical stimulus processed by your brain as a brand entity you relate to, welcoming you like a warm blanket, and perhaps increasing your propensity for trial.

A recent Webiscope post, Completing Your Brand with a Favicon, inspired me to comment on favicons.  The canvas on which to express your brand is only 16×16 or 256 pixels. 

This little piece of real estate can be one of the power tools in your brand identity toolbox.  While often displayed beside a bookmarked or favorite site, they are also on the tabs of tabbed browsers like Firefox and IE7, and in the address bar. 

Favicons are also earning higher profiles as elements of many social bookmarking sites, syndication tools, and API-enabled mashups.  Many blogs use favicon-based buttons to encourage visitors to hit Digg, Reddit, etc.

Favicons for mobile platforms is inevitable.  Tiny and mighty, small yet pervasive. 

By Angie Brunow, Senior Project Manager

The Midwest flooding has been devastating to many individuals and businesses who call this area home. Mercy Medical Center, one of Geonetric’s’ clients, was no exception.

As the rising flood waters began to approach the hospital, Mercy Medical Center used every possible channel, including their Web site, to communicate with the public about the impact of the local crisis on their operations. That is until early Thursday morning when Mercy’s server - and their self-hosted Web site - lost power. Mercy contacted Geonetric and we immediately stepped in to lend a helping hand.

We arranged Mercy’s DNS to be pointed at Geonetric so that we could display an HTML page that notified visitors that www.mercycare.org was experiencing technical difficulties.  We then transferred the hosting of their Web site to Geonetric - our IT staff and developers worked as fast as they could to build a database and prepare to move the Web site to our production server.

The next obstacle was getting a current copy of their Web site.  This brought on another challenge - the site was too large to easily ftp the files to Geonetric, so they saved it on a flash drive at Mercy. Unfortunately, Mercy was starting to take on water in their parking ramp and many Mercy employees were busy sand-bagging alongside hundreds of community volunteers. So, I drove to Mercy to pick up the flash drive. Being able to see, first hand, the hospital and the city being overcome by river water was mind blowing.

By the end of the day, we helped Mercy restore its Web site and it proved to be an invaluable communications tool  that evening as the hospital made the difficult decision that the rising flood waters required patients to be evacuated. Mercy began to use their Web site homepage to provide evacuation updates and directions to employees and volunteers, and they have continued to keep it up-to-date with information and photos. 

We applaud Mercy for their online disaster recovery and crisis communications efforts - they have done an exceptional job in connecting with their many audiences: employees, patients and their families, visitors, the local and national media, and thousands of concerned community members. Geonetric was happy to be able to assist our client in need.

By Sandra VanWyk-Fancher, Vice President of Operations

Thank you for your concerns

Recently raging rivers have flooded many Midwest communities and the city of Cedar Rapids, where Geonetric is located, was submerged in water (view the ABC news video). We’ve been receiving many messages of care and concern from the healthcare community - we appreciate your words of support.

Our office building and data center are fully operational and were secure through the storm and flooding.  About a third to one-half of our employees live in areas where the roads have been closed to Cedar Rapids and will be telecommuting for the next week. Of our 54 employees, five had their homes severely flooded and were forced to evacuate, in some cases with little to no personal belongings.  However, we suffered no injuries or loss of life and are grateful.  As a city, we are, and will continue to be on a very limited water supply (two of our four water stations are inoperable).  Still, we are seeking ways to help others in our community who were not as fortunate.

Here in Cedar Rapids, one of our own in the Geonetric community, Mercy Medical Center had to evacuate and areas of the hospital were flooded.  We immediately relocated their hosting from within the hospital to Geonetric so that they could continue to use their Web site as a way to communicate with patients, volunteers and employees.  They have an ambitious goal of being fully operational in two weeks, as they are eager to again serve the community. When Mercy Medical Center is through this recovery phase, we’ll work with them to gather experiences and disaster recovery information so that the greater Geonetric client base may benefit.

Again, thank you for all your kindness during this humbling event.