The Challenge
In 2014, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC), U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) set out to improve their flagship website, HealthIT.gov, a vital program for their services. ONC recognized the need to update the data architecture, interface, mobile compatibility, and usability of the old website to create an improved end-user experience. Given HealthIT.gov’s important role in facilitating the efficient exchange of information between patients, healthcare professionals, and policymakers, a comprehensive redesign was crucial.
Our Approach
DSFederal partnered with ONC to redesign and modernize Health IT.gov using the Drupal Web Content Management System (WCMS). Drawing on our experience with Drupal for a wide range of Federal clients, our team’s strategy was to focus on enhancing functionality for an improved user experience. To mitigate concerns and encourage the seamless flow of information, we established a multi-channel digital strategy and digital guidelines.
DSFederal’s Support Services included:
- Website redesign and migration
- Implementation of Drupal architecture and workflows
- Operations and maintenance of the website
- Reporting, documentation, and training
The Outcome
DSFederal delivered a fresh look and feel for HeathIT.gov, complete with a mobile-responsive design template for improved compatibility. Our team developed back-end templates for better performance, designed and developed meaningful content types and enhanced content editing capabilities with the implementation of paragraphs to control content blocks.
To enhance the overall usability of the website, we worked with ONC stakeholders to re-architect the Drupal CMS according to Agile principles. By installing both Drupal contributed and custom modules, we were able to effectively streamline content upload and administration with an improved information architecture.
Key Results
Improved data architecture
A clean, user-friendly interface
Mobile responsive pages
Optimized back-end templates
Enhanced editing abilities
More complex content and search capabilities
A 99.9% uptime average with 24/7 support
Looking Ahead
Over the past decade, DSFederal’s ongoing partnership with ONC has led to significant improvements in the HealthIT.gov website, transforming it into a dynamic and interactive portal. By facilitating the seamless flow of information, we have equipped ONC with the ability to enhance its digital presence and provide improved service to its stakeholders, ultimately contributing to an improvement in the way healthcare information is shared across the US.
Our team continues to support this endeavor with ongoing administration of site content, content migration management, archival assistance and back-end redesigns. Our long-term collaborative approach has empowered our team to engage their technical skills to continue to select and implement custom solutions based upon the ONC’s developing needs, provide continuity of service, and enhance communication with two-way feedback between stakeholders.