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COVER STORY


Building and Growing a Web Presence


With more patients hungry for information, ASCs need strong Internet sites to communicate BY ROBERT KURTZ


W


ith patients becoming more involved in their health care


choices and having a greater number of options for where to receive care, ASCs need a presence on the Internet more than ever, says Eddie Edwards, marketing director for MEDARVA Stony Point Surgery Center in Rich- mond, Virginia. “As technology advances, more types of surgeries will move to the out- patient setting. A strong web presence helps educate patients that there are options besides a hospital for where they can undergo procedures,” says Edwards, who oversaw the redesign of his ASC’s web site, which launched in early 2014. “When our surgeons tell patients that a surgery will be sched- uled at our ASC, our web site serves many purposes, from answering the question ‘What is an ASC?’ to pro- viding directions and information on


We have seen about a 75 percent increase in web traffic since [our new web site] launch. We are getting a lot more traffic for physician searches and educational content.”


— Eddie Edwards, MEDARVA Stony Point Surgery Center


procedures and helping relieve any anxiety patients may experience when preparing for surgery.” Pinnacle III, a Lakewood, Colo- rado-based ASC development


and


management company also recog- nized the importance of a strong web presence for its managed ASCs and began redesigning their web sites in


12 ASC FOCUS NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2015


late 2013, says Katharine Mongoven, director of marketing, sales and busi- ness development.


“One of the first places people go to


for information is the web,” Mongoven says. “Consumers representing all age groups and demographics utilize the web for research, education and gen- eral information.” Erica Palmer, president and founder of erio marketing, a Branford, Con- necticut-based provider of web design, marketing and other related services, says a web presence is essential for an ASC’s success. “ASCs need a web presence to


stay relevant, keep their patients and surgeons satisfied and successfully compete with hospitals,” she says. “The entire world is moving online, and if ASCs do not follow suit, it will be detrimental.”


Focus on Patient Experience When redesigning the Stony Point Sur- gery Center web site, Edwards says he focused on providing information that


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