When creating a health care web site, it's important that you understand how your customers will use the site. Some sites are information-based, letting readers know about various medical issues. Others allow patients to access their private information.

In many cases, you need healthcare web developers rather than health care web designers. Developers have the technical expertise to handle a variety of issues related to your site. Consistent health care web development is important for the success of your business.

When you interview potential healthcare web site builders:

1. Ask for references. It's important for you to talk to previous clients to make sure that a developer can take care of your healthcare web site building needs in a timely and professional manner.

2. Ask how long it will take to finish your site. You may have to wait several months if you choose a busy developer. If you need a site quickly, check with developers that are not as busy or ask if you can pay a premium to have your project pushed to the front of the line.

3. Ask about revisions. Most health care web site development services offer a certain number of revisions to make sure you are satisfied.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Choose a firm that specializes in health care web development

Heath care industry clients, especially hospitals, clinics and insurance companies, have special needs when it comes to their site design. Most prefer to work with a design and development company that has experience in the industry and knows what it takes to build a successful health site.

I recommend: Practis specializes in building websites for the health care industry and can help design a site that is interactive. Alternatively, Scorpion Healthcare can help with a variety of development services, including search engine optimization.

Find healthcare website builders that specialize in Flash

If you have a site that primarily gives out information to readers, you may want to jazz it up with a Flash design. Websites that use Flash are easy to load and look professional. This could give your site the extra push it needs to stand out among the crowd.

I recommend: Check out Flash Style to see what they can offer you. Dynamite Digital Designs is another excellent design company that can create your website using Flash.

Hire a full-time medical website builder

If you have enough work to keep a full-time employee busy, then it's more cost-effective to hire an in-house designer. When you do this, you have a designer that is focusing entirely on your site. You can feel confident that someone is always making your site a priority.

I recommend: Try posting your job opportunity at Vault or Dice. These two tech-focused job boards tend to attract highly qualified candidates.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  In many cases, you can pay a health care web site development service a monthly fee to maintain your website. This is convenient if you don't have the time or skills to handle this by yourself.