Overview of HSE Digital Communications Strategy

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1 Overview of HSE Digital Communications Strategy Background Digital media refers to a wide and ever expanding range of communication tools; from websites, intranets and social media tools, to mobile communications, smartphones and apps. As a society, our use of online and digital media has expanded dramatically in recent times, a move which will continue to transform public service, business, communications and personal connections for years to come. This Digital Communications Strategy proposes how the HSE will integrate digital and social media into all aspects of our work and will build a digital platform that will integrate patient information and our service now and into the future. This integration will allow us to communicate more effectively with our clients, with the public, and with our colleagues and to deliver better, safer care. Mobile, online, and social networks in particular represent the fastest growing global communications media. Due to constant rolling upgrades in technology and reduction in consumer charges, they are becoming accessible to increasingly wider age and socio-economic groups. International statistics show that the percentage of the Irish population using the internet has shifted from just over 20% in 2000, to nearly 70% in Facebook, the world s largest social networking site, saw its Irish user base triple in size during 2009 alone; there are now 1.8 million regular Irish users of Facebook, and 600 million worldwide. A recent survey conducted by an Irish media agency found that 87% of Irish mobile phone users had internet access via their phone, and that 47% used it regularly, primarily for and social media (Mindshare 2010). In addition, of the 119% of the Irish population now using a mobile phone, about 20% of these are smartphones, with enhanced online services and applications available at the touch of a button. These proportions are predicted to continue to grow over the coming years, and are evidence of how being online, and being mobile, is a feature of most ordinary Irish people s daily lives. The growth in internet usage and reliance on it for up to date accurate information is something we need to prepare for and respond to as an organisation, if we are to be in a position to effectively communicate in a cost-effective and interactive way with all our stakeholders. Unlike traditional media, digital is not a monologue, it enables instant and ongoing dialogue. Developing and integrating our online capacity will pose challenges, particularly given the interactive nature of online communication. We need to carefully consider the implications for services, in terms of how we do our work, our priorities as an organisation, and how we resource and support our agreed objectives. Where are we now? The HSE already has a powerful set of digital assets in place, including HSE.ie, HSEnet and our other websites and online services. These assets have a large audience HSE.ie delivered over 14 million page views to over 3 million visitors during 2010, an increase of 17% on 2009 figures. HSEnet, our staff Intranet site, delivered over 8.3m page views to an average of 34,674 unique visitors per month during 2010 an increase of 33% over

2 A key objective of the HSE s Clinical Programmes is to develop and provide information on a range of health-related topics, and managing illnesses for the public and for healthcare professionals. The Clinical Programmes are developing an A-Z of hundreds of health conditions and advice on how to manage them to support self-care in the community. We are developing more and more video content to communicate with staff and stakeholders, have a YouTube channel for video content (also shown on HSE.ie) and more and more are using social media sites to assist in our communications work and projects. Over and above those assets and their users, every day, people discuss and debate their health and the HSE in online conversations on other websites, and on social networks, blogs and fora. As an organisation and as a health service, being present and active in using digital media to deliver and improve services, and to communicate with our clients and employees, needs to become a major priority, now and for the foreseeable future. A Digital Strategy There are a number of competing and, potentially, complementary demands and requirements emerging at this time both within the HSE and from the wider Government and public sector. At the very least, there is an opportunity now to draw together the various strands within our own organisation and for all of the Directorates to work together to enhance our readiness, responsiveness, and overall approach to the developing area of digital communications. Working to implement the first phase of our Digital media strategy in 2011 will put us in a strong position to respond to the demands of 2012 and beyond. By working to better integrate our digital systems, we will be better positioned in the future to adapt to meet changing corporate requirements. By taking the steps outlined in this strategy we will also be in a better position to respond to the organisation s need for real time reporting of and access to operational data. We will also be better placed to build on our online infrastructure to meet changing organisational structures, while ensuring that the need for one single trusted and credible portal for information relating to Irish people s health and health services is maintained. The digital communications strategy will promote a caring, listening and trusted health service, which shares information, improves health, empowers users, listens to comments and answers questions. It will align us with international best practice in the provision of online health and public service information. To achieve this we need to work with services, nationally and locally, and will require input and support of almost every Directorate. Objectives In line with the HSE s overall communications strategy and the organisation s core values; Single portal for health information and access to services The website will be the trusted, accessible, authoritative and talked-about source of health information in Ireland Our services will be readily accessible and available to our clients and our colleagues, in person and online We will support the work of the Clinical Programmes in providing patient and health information and supporting self-care We will develop the capacity for clients to feedback on our services and for the organisation to place a greater emphasis on listening and being responsive to clients 2

3 We will make it easier for our staff to access information about the organisation and their role within it We will innovate and explore new and effective ways for us to communicate with and care for our clients using a winning combination of technology and dialogue We will align with, and work to meet the needs of, emerging ICT strategies in line with Government priorities We will examine the quantity and quality of existing digital communications channels with a view to optimisation. How do we get there? 5 Key Areas for Action 1. Ireland s Health Information Source we must make the website the go-to site for all health related information. It must be authoritative and accurate. All other websites should feed off this site. The internet is being used more and more as a primary or complementary source of information on health issues and health related websites represent one of the largest sectors of the online world. Evidence shows that that informed and empowered patients have greater confidence in the services they access, and see improved outcomes in the healthcare they receive. The HSE is not currently providing online health information on conditions, illnesses and treatments. There are some commercial sites operating similar services, with varying degrees of success and accuracy. As Ireland s provider of public healthcare, we are uniquely placed to deliver this information to a population who on a daily basis are seeking information on their health online. In line with the work of the Clinical Programmes, the HSE is already planning to deliver a comprehensive, unique in Ireland, online guide to health and patient information, based on NHS Choices. This will provide an A-Z of hundreds of health conditions and advice on how to manage them. It will facilitate improvements in self-care for patients and consistency of information prevision among healthcare workers. It is imperative that the placement of and access to this valuable resource is prioritised by the HSE and that the end product is effective, easy to find and easy to use. As part of our digital strategy we need to develop the platform to showcase and deliver this material. We also need to ensure that this information is linked seamlessly into the relevant services for each condition so that the patient can simply click from the condition information through to service information/contact details and vice versa. 2. Enhanced Accessibility Putting People at the Centre the site must be very attractive and easy to use. An enhanced version of HSE.ie will provide a much wider range of online services, topics and interactions than its predecessor, with a new sophisticated search system that places the visitor at the centre and supports them to move freely from one area to the next. It will link seamlessly to other online health resources, and be a hub for health topics and dialogue on personal and national health issues. 3

4 The world s most-visited websites Google, Youtube, Facebook the visitor simply types what they need and the site does the rest of the work in locating the relevant information. HSE.ie will place the visitor at the centre of our home page by asking them some simple questions. Where do you live? What service are you looking for? What condition, treatment or service do you need to learn about? An enhanced nagivation system will interpret search terms used and take the user straight from the home page directly to their destination be it Medical Cards; Prostate Cancer; Jobs; Letterkenny General Hospital; Ear Infections; Birth Certs; Adare Health Centre. This new proposed search concept has the potential to make HSE.ie best-in-class for any health or public service website in Ireland or internationally. 3. Data Improvement Project - Supporting our Services to provide accurate and up to date information Despite the wide range of information on HSE sites at the moment, the quality of the data and its maintenance are in some instances inadequate. This particularly relates to new structures, key personnel, new services developments and the relevant contact details needed by staff and the public. While HSE offices nationwide take ownership of their home data, this is not consistent and not a high priority within services who work under significant pressure. An opportunity is being missed to communicate with patients online, and to save time, costs, phone calls, and even complaints. With the recent changes in HSE structures, there is a need to urgently review how information provided to the public is governed and provided, and examine options to dramatically raise standards in this provision. This will require the support of all Directorates within the HSE. The updated HSE site will continue to offer the most popular content and topics, based on analysis of user searches, and also through highlighting new areas of activity. It will include greatly enhanced listings of all HSE services, including opening hours, visiting times, location maps and more. We will use the existing Health Atlas functionality to allow visitors to quickly find key services near where they live, but also allow our staff to find HSE locations and client addresses, supporting service integration. The atlas will be cleanly linked to our services and condition information and providing online self-updating systems to allow staff and users to suggest enhancements. 4. HSE Online Resources Review - HSE.ie and HSEnet and more The current version of HSE.ie has been in place since October 2009 and is one of Ireland s top 15 most visited websites, with over 14 million page views per year and over 30,000 pieces of content. Despite this, the website urgently needs to overcome challenges in how it presents the information it holds, making it easier for people to navigate. HSEnet, the national intranet site, sees almost 35,000 visits from healthcare workers each month, and has great potential for further development. For example, a formal extranet, within HSE.ie, could provide greater access for staff at home or from handheld devices. It would also deliver certain advantages for information and business purposes as well as resource and 4

5 content management improvements. We also need to examine the development of an online staff directory for the HSE, the current restricted access controls to internet sites, and the availability of video on HSEnet. In addition to HSE.ie and HSEnet, the HSE owns a range of other websites which are connected to former agencies or departments of the HSE, and many of which pre-date the HSE s establishment. The HSE also owns a range of more specific, often single topic websites, which have been established over the years to support projects, health promotion campaigns and specific single-site services. Resource arrangements vary considerably across the sites, as do the technical platforms on which they operate. Some of the sites with simple functionality and low traffic could benefit from incorporation into HSE.ie, with care taken to preserve their accessibility and usability. Some are using technology or content management systems that are not longer supported and will eventually become outmoded. These issues, as well as the fundamental governance arrangements for all of these sites all need to be examined, using a consistent terms of reference and making recommendations for efficiencies. Benefits of change for some sites would include streamlined access for the public or staff, cost saving, improved accessibility for disabled users, enhanced data security and significantly higher scores on search engines. 5. Dialogue with the HSE A strong trend in online communications is the move away from the traditional delivery of information to visitors via a corporate website. As a result of their increasingly habitual online personal dialogue, the public now expect organisations to be available for dialogue and conversation. It is important for any organisation to be cognisant of this as it develops digital media and communications, but it is even more so for a large, people-based, healthcare provider. The public expect to be able to or comment or interact with the HSE online, and to do so with a high degree of immediacy, via online tools on our sites, or via social media, fora and blogs. We have to work to meet that expectation as best we can. Apart from personal communications, each day, people discuss and debate the Health Service Executive in online conversations, and there is often value in the HSE participating in those conversations. An integrated Social Media strategy and guidelines for staff will allow the HSE to become more active in social and digital media, and encourage dialogue with the public about their health and our services. Developing our capacity to engage in two-way communications needs to be further explored within this framework. However, the provision of a responsive, always on, customer feedback system is resource heavy and will be challenging. However, we can work on becoming a listening organisation by inviting comments from visitors and clients, and enabling and participating in discussion on services and health topics online. This will require the support and engagement from management and staff across the system and integration with existing consumer related activity such as that of Your Service Your Say. 5

6 Measurement and Evaluation Digital Media lends itself to real-time evaluation, and the HSE has in place a set of tools that allow very detailed analysis of online activity. Bespoke reports are available at any time, allowing us to see the volume of users coming to our site, what they search for, how easily they found it and much more. Equally, on our existing social media sites (Twitter and Youtube) we can access the number of visits and views, and who has been sharing the content that we are creating for syndication. Regular analysis of this data, with reports being delivered to the various service units on their content areas, will allow us to become more responsive and improve our content generation and management, with immediate updates on trends and hot topics. Alongside options to commission once off piece of specific user research, this evaluation process will also offer us evidence of the need for development and where work should be focused. It will underpin the work required under each of the 5 areas above, and will provide us with ongoing markers to allow for adjustment and further development over time. HSE Communications Directorate, November 2011 For more information, digital@hse.ie 6