It Isn't 1994 Anymore
Many physician's practices still have simple Web sites - often described as "Web 1.0." Your website may fall into this category, if it does not offer any business functionality. A static site with only office phone numbers and addresses exemplifies Web 1.0.

Upgrading to Web 2.0 can increase staff efficiency significantly, facilitate scheduling, and potentially increase revenue. Patients are discerning Internet users and are used to being able to use the Internet to get tasks done.

Why is Web 2.0 beneficial to your practice and your patients?
It enables patients to:

Schedule appointments online

Request prescription refills

Complete health history forms that auto populate EMR

Pay bills online

Learn about the practice and procedures in an interesting way

Use Videos for Better Sanding With Search Engines
Many physicians want to be among the top results listed when someone searches their name on Google, Yahoo, or Bing. Appearing at the top depends on search engine optimization (commonly referred to as SEO), which accounts for many factors and is an evolving science. One known fact is that the Internet has significantly fewer videos than pages. Videos are in a much smaller pool of items being searched. According to Forrester Research, a video is about 50 times more likely to appear on the first page of a search result than a page with text only.

A Word of Warning
A recent AMA article (http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/10/18/bicb1018.htm) gives more detail about what to avoid when establishing a practice Website. For example, individual patient testimonials should not be used. Instead focus on generalized statements, which could be true for any of your patients. A Web page is considered advertising according to the law, so be mindful of The American Medical Association Code of Medical Ethics.

But What About Content?
Understandably most physicians are too busy to compose enough words and pictures to cover all the topics they want to discuss. Here are a few options for helping a specialty practice build a better Web presences without too much effort or expense.

A Source for Educational Animations
A superb product for doctors specializing in orthopaedics, spine surgery, dermatology, plastic surgery, and/or hair restoration is Understand.com. Understand.com provides Web-based modules that can integrate into your existing Web site (or stand alone in your office). These animations thoroughly explain a wide library of procedures in a step-by-step fashion, giving viewers an interactive experience.

Jennifer Kalou from Otto Placik, MD's plastic surgery practice reports their most popular videos are those on breast augmentation, which help patients to learn the differences between saline and silicone implants.

Daniel Cooper, MD, the orthopaedic surgeon for the Dallas Cowboys, has been using Understand.com for more than 8 years. He appreciates the ability to direct patients to learn about their exact condition. This method enables patients to learn about the specific procedures they will have and prevents patients from getting misinformation from other sources.

A one-year contract with Understand.com, which includes any number of animations on your Web site costs between $1,195 and $1,800. Members of the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine and the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) receive a 15% discount.

Another choice for plastic surgeons, dermatologists, and aesthetics-focused practices is Candace Crowe Designs, which offers very personalized Web sites. If you see your Web site as a starting point for a comprehensive marketing message, Candace Crowe Designs offers an innovative product called REVENEZ mail. REVENEZ mail enables practices to use a simple application to select relevant articles for an email marketing campaign tailored to their patients. The importance of the Web can best be summed up by President Candace Crowe: "a Web site validates and verifies that you're in business, you can't just hang a shingle out there anymore, a Web site is the shingle."

Website Options for Those Who Are New to the Web
An option for Web site development is Physician Designs. They offer start-to-finish services to help you get established on the Web by building custom-designed Web sites and offering SEO services. With Physician Designs, a doctor or doctor's representative participates in a phone consultation and can then review an unlimited number of Web site design concepts. About 70%-80% of their clients also choose to have Flash animation on their sites. Many time-conscious practices incorporate patient intake and insurance forms, enabling patients to fill in their information at their leisure and email the completed forms to the practice before their appointment. A basic package, which includes a 5-page custom Web site, from Physician Designs costs $1,995 and maintenance costs $49 per month.

A similar alternative is Sites4Docs, which specializes in developing search-engine friendly Websites. Their process starts with an initial in-person meeting. Most of their existing clients are located in the Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York area, but they are willing to travel for the face-to-face meeting. They also work to help doctors maximize their returns with pay-per-click advertising from Google. Sites4Docs is currently offering a limited-time promotion for their basic Web site package; it is now available for $895. Their monthly maintenance fee is $49.

Changing Landscape of Healthcare
The most visually scrupulous patients have traditionally been those going to plastic surgery practices. However, as the movement to consumer-driven healthcare grows, most patients are paying larger deductibles and accordingly, spend more time researching their healthcare options. You can make your practice a trusted source of information by offering on-topic and useful services via your Web site. To the patients who do not know you yet, the care you put into your Web site is a reflection of the care that you will give them.

Karen Zupko is President, KarenZupko & Associates, Inc. (KZA), a practice management consulting and training firm based in Chicago, Illinois. KZA has worked with thousands of specialists, including orthopedic, plastic, and general surgeons nationwide.

Sheila Hall, MS, MBA, a KZA writer and researcher, is focused on the intersection of business and patient education to improve practice operations and patient health.

Address correspondence to: Karen Zupko, KarenZupko & Associates, Inc., 625 N Michigan Ave, Suite 2225, Chicago, IL 60611 (tel, 312-642-5616 ext 220; fax, 312-642-5571; e-mail, kzupko@karenzupko.com; Web site, http://www.karenzupko.com).

References
http://blogs.forrester.com/interactive_marketing/2009/01/the-easiest-way.html
http://techcrunch.com/2010103/1O/video-seo-top-google-search