Case studies of implementation of interactive e-health tools on hospital web sites

Using content analysis and in-depth interviews, this research has examined three best-practice hospitals in terms of their approaches to implementing interactive e-health tools on their Web sites. The study has demonstrated hospital administrations' visions of and insights into developing e-health. It concludes that the implementation of interactive e-heath tools can be area- and hospital-size-indiscriminative; such implementation accomplishes multiple goals, including service, communication, and education, and serves as an important differentiator in a competitive industry; by understanding the best practice, decision-making, planning processes, and outcomes of implementing e-health online, as well as potential obstacles to such implementation, hospitals can take the lessons learned and design effective interactive e-health tools on their Web sites. Keywords: healthcare new media marketing, healthcare IT, e-health, hospital Web sites, interactive.
INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND Over the past decade or so, thousands of U.S. hospitals shifted some of their business online (Huang, 2009; Huang & Chang, 2012; Shepherd, 2003). This shift is [...]