US Physician Web Sites: Poorly Designed And Underutilized

Most industries take basic Web capabilities, such as offering essential information about the business and some basic communication capability, for granted — but the medical industry can't. Physicians and other health professionals have been late to the party and now have some catching up to do. When Forrester asked consumers about medical Web capabilities such as a site with basic practice information, patient data reporting, or online appointment scheduling, only 30% said their primary doctor's office offers these solutions. Worse, only a small fraction of consumers whose doctor does offer them has taken advantage of the online capabilities. To boost adoption and satisfaction, hospitals, physician groups, and the vendors that serve them have to focus on the basics: core user-centered design principles and active promotion of site capabilities.