A Model for Developing Web Sites at Academic Medical Institutions

Abstract

Web sites in healthcare-related areas extend from those created by patients to sites of major corporations within the healthcare industries. It is essential for academic medicine institutions to maintain their presence on the World Wide Web as patients and their families seek more information about healthcare via the Internet. Using a model of Web site creation, the authors describe these methods across the four phases in the life cycle of a Web site, which include design, development, implementation, and maintenance/update. This model consists of the individual/team-based method, an organization-based method, and the outsourcingbased method. The application of this model demonstrates that these methods vary in benefits and limitations across the four phases of the Web site life cycle depending on the needs and resources of the organization. The features selected for a Web site during its design are the best indicator for the method for the organization to develop and maintain its Web site. It is appropriate to consider utilizing different components of each method when the application of a single method cannot manage all phases of the Web site life cycle.