The MIT Medical Department has relaunched its web site with a new address -- medweb.mit.edu -- as well as clearer navigation, patient-specific guides and an improved clinician directory.
Research showed that users wanted clear steps for completing specific tasks such as finding a clinician or making an appointment, as well as easy-to-find information on the MIT health plans, billing and health education topics. Accordingly, the new site has a prominent section called "How Do I...?" and a reorganized clinician directory that can now be sorted and searched by name, clinical service and health topic.
Although the old site had a clinician directory, "it was basically a list of names. Now it's much more interactive," said William Kettyle, medical director at MIT Medical. "Even the directory photos have been updated, which has been a little disconcerting to those of us who looked 10 years younger on the old site."
The redesigned site contains guides for specific patient audiences, including international students, parents of students, retirees, undergraduates and graduate students.
The old site's health and wellness information has also been augmented with a section for MIT Medical's Center for Health Promotion and Wellness and Mental Health Service. This area offers quick online access to resources for mental health and stress management, nutrition and fitness, and sex and sexuality as well as details on classes, workshops, lectures and consultations on a wide variety of health and wellness topics offered by MIT Medical's health educators and mental health clinicians.
Another service offered on the MIT Medical web site is Patient Online, which lets patients view their medication records and some of their health history (immunizations, past appointments, allergies, insurance, etc.), order prescription refills, make appointment requests, and exchange secure e-mail with their health care providers.
"It's easier to find what you're looking for on our new web site, which is an important part of our commitment to the health and wellness of all members of the MIT community, " Kettyle said.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on October 8, 2008 (download PDF).
