“Having a health information feature
allows us to link users seamlessly from
an article relating to a condition, to a
related service in any one of our
affiliate hospitals.”
Main Line Health
Suburban Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Medical
EBSCO Customer Since: 2003
EBSCO Solutions
Health Library
Challenges
•
Attract more visitor
traffic to the
organization’s Web site
•
Drive searches deeper
into the clinical services
and revenue-generating
areas of the
organization
Mark Wisniewski
Web Marketing Manager
Main Line Health
Solutions
Benefits
•
Web site redesign
presenting hospital
services in logical,
highly navigable content
categories
•
Subscription to Health
Library, a
comprehensive,
evidence-based
consumer health
information database
•
Increased traffic to
hospital services and
health information on
the redesigned Web site
•
Web site content and
design have created a
valuable marketing tool
and revenue opportunity
Overview
Located in Philadelphia's western suburbs, Main Line Health comprises three distinguished
community-based acute care hospitals, a renowned specialty hospital for rehabilitation, a
staff of more than 1,300 physicians and surgeons, and a network of outpatient, home care
and long-term care programs.
1
Customer Success Case Study
Main Line Health
© EBSCO Publishing 2005
In 2003, it launched its first Internet site to promote its services beyond printed media. Main
Line Health then revamped its Internet presence in early 2005 to attract more visitor traffic
to the site, and to drive searches deeper into the clinical services and revenue-generating
areas of the organization. The redesign included the purchase of Health Library™, an online
evidence-based consumer health information database.
Site traffic has notably increased since the 2005 launch, and Main Line Health’s hospital
marketing directors and contributors overwhelmingly approve of the results, viewing the
project as an important investment, public service, and revenue generating opportunity.
Challenge
Two years after the debut of Main Line Health as a medical organization with a bona fide
Web homepage, the business development and corporate marketing departments planned to
reshape the site in pursuit of three objectives:
•
•
•
Attract more user traffic to the site.
Drive searchers deeper into the clinical services and revenue-generating areas of the
organization.
Provide timely, comprehensive, evidence-based consumer health information for
customers and patients.
“We wanted to get timely health information to patients and consumers in our service area,
and then guide them further into the site with the object of promoting our member
hospitals, and other revenue generating service areas,” says Web Marketing Manager Mark
Wisniewski.
However, the organization could not create the needed information internally. Limited
personnel resources compelled Main Line Health to seek an outside provider’s consumer
health information. “Consumers and patients are hungry for health information.
Unfortunately, we didn’t have enough personnel to do on our own something of the scale
needed, especially with regard to current health issues, such as avian flu,” reports
Wisniewski.
Solution
In early 2005, the hospital moved forward with the updated web site redesign presenting
hospital services in logical, highly navigable content categories. The redesign also featured
the addition of Health Library™, a health information database with a content and delivery
system working in perfect sync with Main Line’s internal content management system. “The
database gives us what we need. Its comprehensive size is supported by evidence-based
articles and features, new information, and the latest health guidelines,” Wiesnewski
confirms. “We can also further select articles and include them with our Health & Medicine
headlines as recommended reading.”
2
Customer Success Case Study
Main Line Health
© EBSCO Publishing 2005
Main Line Health was one of the first adopters of Health Library’s specialized Centers for
Excellence content. The Centers for Excellence represent in-depth, condition-specific
information resources for patients, on such topics as cardiovascular health and cancers. That
content, placed alongside site information promoting a hospital group’s similarly specialized
medical service, creates a valuable marketing opportunity. “Having the health information
feature allows us to link users seamlessly from an article relating to a condition, to a related
service in any one of our affiliate hospitals,” Wiesnewski explains.
Benefits
Since the site launch, user traffic on Main Line Health’s website has steadily increased,
internally and externally. A push E-mail initiative has publicized the redesign, and points
users to the site. Content contributors and marketing employees at affiliated hospitals are
pleased with the new look, visibility and the access it gives to clinical and patient services.
3
Customer Success Case Study
Main Line Health
© EBSCO Publishing 2005