Building a patient-centered hospital Web site: Best practices in China

Abstract

In this case study, based on six criteria, four Chinese hospitals were chosen from a national sample to showcase, through content analysis and in-depth interviews, the best practices of serving patients online. The extensive findings have addressed the following three questions: what these hospitals have in common in their Web development, what problems and challenges they are facing, and how they have excelled in serving their patients online. The study concludes that, like larger hospitals, smaller hospitals can also excel in creating an outstanding Web site to serve their patients so long as they truly care about their patients, have a clear vision, and strong expertise in IT development. The study also concludes that Chinese private hospitals can learn from these state-owned hospitals in establishing a good reputation through professional and responsible interaction with patients. The four hospital studied may shed light on the Web development in many other Chinese hospitals that are going through the same healthcare new media adoption. The findings from this study can also help Chinese hospitals form their visions in serving patients online.