eHealth Articles & White Papers

Web Governance: How to Create a Dream Team for Your Web Site

Linda Barnes - Vice President of Business Development

So you've decided to bite the bullet and create a Web governance committee. Where do you start? How do you make sure the team works together successfully to improve your results rather than becoming a bottleneck that slows down your Web initiatives?

Involve the right people

Including too many people may impede the process, but not having the right people in the room can have the same effect in the long run. How do you know who to invite?

You almost certainly must include someone from marketing, public relations, I.T., key service lines, and human resources. (For most sites, "Careers" is a top visited section.) Finance, physician relations, and legal may also choose to participate once you start discussing online payments, physician portals, and HIPAA issues related to patient portals.

Of course, not everyone understands the value of a hospital having a premier website. They may think, "If someone needs care, they're not going to take the time to research our hospital online. They'd come here anyway. What's the value of spending money on a website?"

Sound familiar?

Your initial reaction may be to exclude those naysayers. But including them is actually more beneficial. It gives you a chance to educate them and win them over. Wouldn't you rather hear what they're saying now and have the opportunity to address their concerns at the start of the process, rather than running up against their objections during your presentation to the budget committee?

Help the team understand the big picture

If you're starting a new governance committee, lay the groundwork at the outset. Explain how website users have certain expectations - they're used to paying their bills online at 2:00 a.m., buying airline tickets and selecting seats at their convenience, and having related books recommended when they shop at Amazon.com. Talk about changing demographics and industry trends.

If you don't know the latest trends, do some research. Many team members will react better if you come prepared with facts and figures. And chances are they'll have that "a-ha" moment while you explain how your hospital's website needs to meet consumer expectations.

Understand that some may agree to participate only because they think it'll give them more clout when they want space on the homepage. If that's what it takes to get them involved, use it to your advantage.

Over time, you can educate them to the realities of Google search results that bypass the homepage and land visitors deep in your site, and to the fact that your website IS your brand to anyone who has yet to walk into your facility.

Make sure you have executive sponsorship

It's more difficult at some organizations than others, but your governance team will have more power if you have support from the executive suite. Create a charter for your governance team that explains the value your site brings to your organization. Establish processes and rules around what requires approval, by whom, and when.

And if your organization is using tools such as Lean or Six Sigma to improve process, reduce waste, and/or understand the voice of the customer, you'll gain credibility if you leverage those tools to create your Web processes.

Then, find a high-ranking executive (preferably your CEO) who understands the value of the Web and will be your champion. Share your process with him/her, get buy-in, and make sure that individual is willing to stand behind you the first time you have to say "No!" - gently, of course - to putting pulsating orange text on your home page to highlight some pet project.

Enjoy the results

It may take a few months for your Web governance committee to become a high-performing team. However, being able to get your key stakeholders in agreement with your Web direction will yield great results down the road and create an amazing website for current and potential patients, which was your main goal in the first place.