Hospital Website Quality: New Model for Spanish Health Centers

What is it?

The Hospital Web Quality Multicriteria Analysis Model (HWQ) is a validated tool to evaluate the digital presence of hospitals. It assesses websites on dimensions like usability, content, aesthetics, and transparency, specifically applied to the top Spanish hospitals.

Why is it important?

This article explains that hospital websites are key to health communication and user engagement, yet many fail to meet standards for usability, interactivity, and transparency. According to the research of Tejedor and Romero-Rodríguez, a systematic tool like HWQ is essential to improve health information access and credibility online.

Key Findings from the Study

Methodological Framework

• Combines walkthrough method and benchmarking.

• Draws on models like MiLE, MINERVA, and Web-Med-Qual.

• Validated by a panel of 15 experts (CVI = 0.88).

• Applied to the top 10 hospitals in Spain (public and private).

Dimensions and Indicators

The HWQ model includes:

• Content: Hospital details, eHealth resources, staff info.

• Transparency: Policies, accreditations, ethics.

• Institutional Info: Governance, press office, teaching units.

• Navigability: UX, internal search, FAQs.

• Aesthetics: Responsive design, visual identity.

What Did the Audit Reveal?

Major Weaknesses

The main findings indicate:

• Lack of interactivity (e.g., broken virtual visits, no gamification).

• Minimal adaptation to mobile and tablet formats.

• Rare use of videos, infographics, and SEO optimization.

• No personalized storytelling, overuse of stock imagery.

• Most texts are long, static, and poorly formatted for screen reading.

Best Practices

Some hospitals stood out:

• Hospital Clínic de Barcelona offers health podcasts.

• Hospital Quirón Salud Madrid excels in staff presentation and visual coherence.

• La Zarzuela and 12 de Octubre mention environmental policies.

Real-World Applications

Why it matters

According to the study, patients increasingly use hospital websites to:

• Access information about diseases and treatments.

• Schedule appointments.

• Evaluate hospital services and reputations.

However, inconsistent quality and outdated formats reduce trust and accessibility.

FAQs

What is HWQ?
A standardized model for evaluating hospital websites on usability, transparency, aesthetics, and content quality.

Why is this model needed?
Because many hospital websites lack consistent structure, transparency, and modern web standards—especially in public institutions.

Can this model be applied globally?
Yes, the study confirms HWQ’s scalability to different countries and healthcare systems with minimal adaptation.

Recommendations for Future Development

• Promote mobile-first design and accessible multimedia.

• Integrate SEO and metadata optimization.

• Include user feedback loops like reviews and FAQs.

• Explore AI and VR/AR for dynamic patient experiences.