Web Takes … September 2013 Picks

Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC

www.chp.edu
This site reflects a growing trend in hospital websites – simplicity. The home page features a strong visual image in the banner area, a half-dozen global links that can be ex­panded to give access to virtually anything a site visitor might want to find, and a highly visible box for two types of searches. In addition, there are a few links on the page to ad­dress topics of high interest. And, of course, since this site is for a chil­dren’s hospital, the global links and background are colorful.

Simplicity is continued on some of the clinical service pages, such as cardiology, neurology, and ear, nose, and throat. The landing pages for these services highlight a dominant visual and up to a half-dozen key topics. This approach draws visitors into the page without overwhelming them. A click on a topic brings the visitor to details, along with links on a wide range of related support in­formation and opportunities to in­teract with the organization. My guess is that all the service-line sec­tions will eventually adopt this de­sign approach.

I also liked the way the find-a-doctor page had large areas for visitors to request an appointment online, call an appointment scheduler, and lo­cate an urgent care center. Also promoted is HealthTrak, UPMC’s patient portal that includes patient-doctor communications. Particularly noteworthy is how HealthTrak is explained both in text and in a short video. Both the News and Give to Children’s sections are worth emu­lating in terms of their landing page impact and simplicity, with links to comprehensive coverage.

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