Easy point-and-click Web site creation will soon be available for healthcare systems that are looking to provide member hospitals with a suite of customized online branding tools.
IBM's Global Healthcare division launched a Web network solutions package for Irving, Texas-based healthcare giant VHA Inc. and its 1,600-member organizations. The program is slated for release to the rest of the healthcare industry in June.
For many healthcare organizations, the cost of launching Web sites - typically three times more than maintaining them - is a significant financial barrier, IBM says. Using VHA as its entre into the healthcare marketplace, IBM developed a template that VHA providers can use to internally manage and reduce the ongoing cost associated with Web site development, content publishing, maintenance and administration.
The program, called HealthVillage Express, was folded into VHA's Web Worx online network. It costs VHA $40,000 to $50,000 to manage and maintain the system. Pricing for the rest of the industry has not yet been determined, according to David Bradshaw, IBM's product manager.
HealthVillage Express offers a Web generation engine so the hosting organization can update and maintain the site without HTML programming skills. This is an ideal online perk for hospital marketers and PR pros. Updates and postings are managed through a workflow/approval process defined by the corporate site administrator of the healthcare organization.
The IBM package guides users through a series of online templates designed to make Web site creation easy to brand, says Bradshaw.
The hottest pre-packaged template options include sections for:
- Providers and services: includes general information about physicians, health plans and the community and is searchable by name, location and healthcare services.
- Calendars: healthcare organizations can plug in key promotional events that consumers can search by "date," "topic" and location, or view the entire section via an "at a glance" feature.
- Employment opportunities: a key online recruiting source for hospitals where providers can post vacancies that are searchable by category, department, location and title.
- Bulletin boards: ideal for press releases and promoting new healthcare services. (IBM, Sue Hoffman, 914/642-5407; VHA, Lynn Gentry, 972/830-0255)
Other Web Solutions
For other Web solution packages, healthcare systems can check out the latest offerings by Adobe and Microsoft for creating corporate branded Web sites on the local provider level:
- Adobe Page Mill 3.0: integrates Web page authoring, site management and a limited edition of the Adobe Photoshop, the Web graphics tool. A free preview version of the software is available for downloading from its Web site at http://www.adobe.com. The estimated cost is $99.
- Microsoft's FrontPage 98: features a Wizards function that walks users through Web site creation. Its comprehensive management tools offer a wide range of navigational options, directories of information and hyperlinks. The system is available for $149. (http://www.microsoft.com)