Frequently Asked Questions
- Why does my medical practice need a website?
- Why should I hire MMA to develop, manage, and market my practice's website?
- Can MMA update my existing site? or make enhancements?
- What website technologies does MMA use?
- Does MMA use the latest website devolpment standards?
- How much does a website cost?
Why does my medical practice need a website?
In general, medical practices are small businesses; some are very large enterprises. As with any multi-million dollar business, practices are in business to serve the needs of their patients, otherwise known as customers. To do that successfully, your patients/customers need to be aware of your services. Advertising is an important strategy for expanding awareness of your services to new and existing patients; therefore, a website is an important component to any successful advertising campaign.
Consumers (patients) are increasingly spending more time online, searching the Internet for answers to their questions. Many (between 50 and 90 million) surfers are researching health-related questions. They get their answers from many Internet web resources. Ultimately, some will seek to establish a patient-physician relationship for specific medical advice and treatment. Although traditional means of finding a physician are still popular (i.e. word-of-mouth, insurance directories), it is becoming more common for patients to choose or evaluate their physicians from their selection of choices on the Internet. This is especially true for prospective patients who have recently relocated to a new area.
Having a medical practice website that is attractive, interesting, concise, well organized, and easy to navigate, can reap many benefits for a practice, including:
- Increased marketability to new patients,
- Increased efficiency, i.e. reducing staff time on telephone for commonly asked questions,
- Communication of the practice's mission, message, location, and medical services to new patients,
- Enhanced patient services with downloadable patient forms, and easy directions to the practice,
- Providing accurate, clinically appropriate informational resources for current and prospective patients,
- Enhanced practice image by implying that if it is current enough to have a modern website, then it is more likely to use the latest medical technologies & methodologies,
- Enhanced professional image among colleagues, an important referral base, and potential new physician partners,
- Adding the website's address to marketing materials, business cards, and other office letterhead will increase awareness.
Why should I hire MMA to develop, manage, and market my practice's website?
MMA has over 30 years of experience in medical practice management. We understand the strategic, operational, and regulatory implications of implementing a successful medical website. We also have the technical expertise to develop web solutions to meet client needs. We develop websites only for medical practices, medical societies, and medical-related professional organizations. Therefore, this market expertise and focus gives MMA a competitive advantage over generic web development companies. For example, we understand HIPAA privacy and security impact on medical practice websites.
By specializing in medical practice websites, we understand how patients view and use practice websites. We also understand how to utilize the website to reduce your staff's telephone time. We understand the nuances between the specialties within medicine and implement solutions to best suit each one. Whether your practice specializes in cardiology, radiology, obstetrics/gynecology (OB/GYN), internal medicine, family medicine, endocrinology, pediatrics, plastic surgery, dermatology, or another specialty, we have experience implementing the right solution for your practice.
As reflected in our website portfolio, MMA has been successfully developing medical practice websites since 2000, and will continue to create many customized medical websites for our clients. Contact MMA today to learn how we may help your practice establish a website.Can MMA update my existing site? or make enhancements?
Yes, MMA can make any changes to your existing website. We can also review your site and suggest changes to ensure your site fulfills its maximum potential. For example, you may already have a limited website and want it redesigned.
Keeping a website current is very important to maintaining the credibility of the practice in the eyes of patients and visitors. Out-dated content on websites can be misleading and frustrating. If the practice experiences a change in the following areas, then an update to the website is needed:
- Medical staff changes - a physician joins or leaves the practice
- Location or telephone number changes, i.e. area code changes
- Changes in scope of services offered
- Insurance plans - adding, modifying, or removal
- Patient information forms
- A new marketing/media campaign
What website technologies does MMA use?
MMA uses the latest technologies to design and develop website solutions. We are proficient in:
- HTML, DHTML, XHTML
- JavaScript & JQuery
- CSS (Cascading Style Sheets)
- Active Server Pages (ASP) - web visual basic scripting language
- SSI (Server Side Includes)
- PHP - scripting language
- Implementing secure socket layer (SSL) for secure transmission of data over the Internet
- Database technologies (SQL, mySQL, SQL Server, Oracle, MS Access)
- Performing image and photo edits/production to create high impact graphics
- Optimizing graphics for best performance on the web
- Designing and structuring your site's pages of content for search engine optimization and optimum usability (information architecture)
Does MMA use the latest website devolpment standards?
MMA adheres to the highest web design standards and practices to maximize the experience of website users. Guidelines to consider when designing your website include:
- Focus content on WHO you are, WHERE you are, and WHAT services you provide.
- Use a color scheme to enhance readability.
- Leave white space for the eyes to rest. A crowded page is more difficult to read.
- Speed, speed, speed. Pages should load within 2 seconds.
- Don't "bloat" pages with too much text or too many graphics.
- Use a consistent navigation so the user can easily traverse the site.
- Limit the use of multimedia, animation, and Flash to appropriate areas as these can slow down a site and frustrate viewers.
- Use clear, sharp professional photos of the office, services, and medical staff.
- KIS (Keep It Simple). Starting and ending a website project can be challenging. We recommend starting with a finite scope and adding to the website after a few months of service. In the world of web, often "less is more".
How much does a website cost?
Factors to consider when pricing your website include:
- number of content pages,
- website features,
- custom, responsive website design,
- optimization and marketing,
- professional expertise.