Gothberg notes that improvements in Web sites were largely focused on enhancing visual interest, improving navigation, and strongly highlighting key service lines. Use of rich media, such as video, audio, and medical animations, is now widespread.“The extensive debate on healthcare reform, combined with the need for increased efficiency in a challenging economy, has spurred digital media innovation,” says Mark Gothberg, eHealthcare Leadership Awards chairman. “A substantial number of organizations have made major improvements in their Web sites to better serve current and future customers. Organizations are also embracing social networking, including blogs, Facebook, and Twitter, to reach consumers in new ways and generate concrete business. Mobile communications is also being pursued by a number of market leaders.”
“An important development is the growing integration of Web and traditional media communications,” says Gothberg. “Organizations are seeing the synergistic and cost benefits of using their Web sites, e-mail marketing, and social media channels in addition to print, television, radio, and billboards for promotional purposes.”
Winners of platinum, gold, silver, and distinction awards represented 18 industry classifications, from hospitals and health systems to pharmaceutical firms and online health companies. Awards were given in 12 different categories: Best Site Design, Best Interactive, Best Health/Healthcare Content, Best e-Business, Best Care/Disease Management, Best Web 2.0, Best Doctor Directory, Best Employee Recruitment, Best Quality & Safety Communication, Best Overall Internet Site, Best Integrated Marketing Campaign, and eHealth Organizational Commitment.
Judges looked at how sites compared with others in their organization’s classification. They also reviewed sites based on a proprietary multi-point standard of Internet excellence. The best overall Internet site category, for example, had to pass muster on more than 40 factors.
“Competition was especially strong among large hospital, healthcare system, and managed care sites,” says Gothberg. Best Health/Healthcare Content, Best Site Design, and Best Overall Internet Site categories drew the most entries. There were also a large number of entries in the Best Web 2.0 and Best Integrated Marketing Campaign categories.
The eHealthcare Leadership Awards program was developed and first presented 11 years ago by eHealthcare Strategy & Trends, a leading industry resource published by Health Care Communications, Rye, NY. The Fourteenth Annual Healthcare Internet Conference was sponsored by Greystone.Net, an Atlanta-based strategy firm, and StayWell Custom Communications, an Evanston, IL-based content supplier.
Major sponsors of the eHealthcare Leadership Awards were Blausen Medical Communications, a Houston-based supplier of medical animation and graphics; CareTech Solutions, a Troy, MI-based supplier of turnkey products to reduce cost and improve efficiency; CaringBridge, an Eagan, MN-based organization that connects loved ones during health crises; Coffey Communications, a Walla, Walla, WA-based provider of integrated Web solutions and healthcare content; Atlanta-based Connect Healthcare, a PhotoBooks company, which provides physician directories and custom Web sites; Element115.net, an information technology solutions company in Chicago; Geonetric, a Cedar Rapids, IA-based supplier of comprehensive online services, including content management software; Medseek, an enterprise e-health solutions company based in Birmingham, AL; Private Health News, a Cincinnati-based supplier of interactive e-health newsletters and CRM programs; and Professional Research Consultants, a market and customer research firm based in Omaha, NE. Other supporters were Acsys Interactive, Creative Change, eVariant, MedTouch, and Monigle Associates.