Hospitals: Is your content putting your patients to sleep?

Ahava LeibtagPrincipal

Aha Media Group, LLC

5 Rules for Avoiding BORING Hospital Content

Who is coming to your website?

Patients Family Members

And… job applicants, potential employees and visitors to the hospital.

RULE #1: WHAT DO PATIENTS REALLY CARE ABOUT?

4 Questions Patients Ask

1. What’s wrong with me?2. Who is going to fix it? And how?3. Who is going to pay for it?

And #4: Is there free parking?

RULE #2: WORK FROM A POSITION OF STRENGTH, I.E. “TELL THE TRUTH”

What does the truth look like?

• We’re small, so you don’t feel like a number.• We’re big so we can take advantage of the

latest research and technology.• We are in a suburban setting, so you get free

parking and you don’t have to walk very far.• Our doctors are fellowship-trained, which

means they’re the best.

RULE #3: CREATE “WHAT TO EXPECT”, “STEP-BY-STEP” GUIDES

What to Expect Guides

• What to expect on your day of surgery• What to expect the day of your mammogram• How should I prepare for a CT scan?• What should I bring to my first appointment?• For Patients and Visitors: Where you can find

the ATM, cafeteria, etc?• Overnight stays: hotels near-by, tourist

attractions, places to eat

RULE #4: DON’T FORGET—CONTENT ISN’T JUST TEXT YOU’VE WRITTEN

Use social media, resources, patient testimonials to augment textual content

And let’s not forget 1,000 words…

RULE #5: STOP THE BLAH, BLAHING AROUND

How do you stop the blah, blahing to avoid the blahs?

1. Take a good look at your analytics2. See where your users are bouncing off3. Cut through the crap and put stuff up there

that really matters4. And consider asking patients what they want:

o In lobbieso Survey softwareo By talking to the administrative staff

You MUST read this:

http://www.health.gov/healthliteracyonline/

Review

1. Ask yourself: Do my patient/friends/family members care about this content?

2. Tell the truth-who you REALLY are is important.

3. Create what to expect, step-by-step guides using photos, videos, text, slideshows.

4. Content is more than text so use it all.5. Stop the blah blahing around and give your

users the content they really want.

Ask me questions

Ahava LeibtagPrincipal, Aha Media Group, LLC301-452-5331ahava@ahamediagroup.comTwitter: ahavaLBlog: Online it ALL Matters