Are you tangled in Web talk?
Are you tangled in Web talk?
The biggest benefit of a Web site may surprise you
It’s hard to discern fact from fiction when it comes to technology and the Internet. Bill Gates would have you think you can simply quit your job, buy a computer and modem, and never go into the office again. Meanwhile, naysayers note that few industries have been able to fully capitalize on Internet opportunities, and business remains the usual 9-to-5 routine.
The truth, however, lies somewhere in between. Home infusion providers who have Web pages tell Home Infusion Therapy Management there are benefits of having a Web site, but gaining referrals isn’t at the top of the list.
When Kokua Nurses of Honolulu launched its Web site, it was hoped the site would lead to referrals from those heading to the island paradise for a vacation.
"We have a lot of people traveling from both the East Orient and the mainland, so a lot of people look on the Web for advance help if they are going to bring an elder or disabled person with them," says Judith Walden, RN, MHA, administrator and chief executive officer for Kokua Nurses. "Travel agencies look on the Web, as well."
But Kokua Nurses’ Web site, which Walden designed herself, has had its greatest benefit elsewhere.
"I’ve only gotten a couple of referrals from it, but I’ve had a significant number of nurses who are moving here from the mainland and are looking for information about jobs," says Walden. "That has probably been the greatest success. We have hired two people from the site, and there will be more."
David Bias, president of AlternaCare, a Wichita Falls, TX-based home infusion provider, says his Web site has led to similar benefits.
"I get applications for jobs from nurses and even billing people," says Bias. "They are moving here from out of the area and will see my Web page, so it puts me in contact with potential employees before somebody else has access to them."
Kevin Kleinhomer, director of information systems for King of Prussia, PA-based Home Health Corporation of America (HHCA), notes that HHCA’s site is more for providing information than generating direct business leads.
"We’ve had more than 3,000 hits since Jan. 1," Kleinhomer says. "I heard early on that we got a contract or two from the site, but I’m not sure we can quantify the volume of business. Initially — and probably still — the site is for marketing to simply provide some basic information about the company and where to call."
Kevin Sypniewski, the president of Kailua, HI-based AssistGuide, a Web site with information and products related to disability and long-term health care, says the experiences of Kokua Nurses and AlternaCare are typical.
"Right now, the biggest thing some of the home care companies are getting from the Web is employment opportunities," he says.
Keeping in touch is easier
Conversing with potential employees isn’t the only way to use your site, though. Bias adds that his Web site and its e-mail links have allowed him to stay in close contact with numerous businesses and individuals.
"It has also helped me maintain a network of suppliers and peers," he says. "Whenever I talk to someone, I tell them the easiest way to get ahold of me is through my Web site. I tell them my business is AlternaCare, and they can reach me through www.alternacare.com, which is easy to remember. It has made staying in touch with people a lot easier, and with time constraints and the convenience of it, you’re able to send information more efficiently."
Because of the ease with which someone visiting your site can contact you, Bias recommends having individual e-mail addresses for various departments.
"Have different addresses for different people or at least different departments in your company, so others can get information to your staff without interrupting them with a phone call from someone who doesn’t need an answer right away," he says. "That way, you can answer at your convenience without interrupting your work flow."
Bias says having a Web site and address sets your business apart.
"It adds an air of credibility and stability to the business, and has the same effect an 800 number or a fax machine used to have," he says.
(Editor’s note: Next month we’ll show you how Walden went about setting up Kokua Nurses’ Web site.)
In search of providers on the Web
Addresses for those already using the Internet
Following are the Web addresses for the sites and companies discussed in the accompanying article:
• Kokua Nurses: www.kokuanurses.com.
Judith Walden, RN, MHA, administrator and chief executive officer, can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].
• AlternaCare: www.alternacare.com.
David Bias, president, can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].
• Home Health Corporation of America: www.hhcainc.com.
• AssistGuide: www.assistguide.com.
Kevin Sypniewski, president, can be reached via e-mail at [email protected].
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