When looking for timely, accurate information on the internet, WebMD.com is surely among the top sites that populate on the search engine. WebMD.com offers information about countless medical topics, including both physical and mental ailments. It also offers many articles about popular medical issues, and provides questionnaires to help decipher an illness based on symptoms. However, there are several ways in which this dynamic website could be improved.
1. WebMD.com is in conjunction with MedicineNet.com, a site which is home to numerous doctors and medical authors, and features a doctor for basically every health department. WebMD.com also has its own doctors and authors, but most information comes from MedicineNet.com. The problem with this is that their partnership is not plainly broadcast on the home page. It took some searching to learn about MedicineNet.com, and if they work as heavily with WebMD.com as is claimed, they should be more boldly named. There are also three notary stamps for accredited internet medical associations that have certified the site.
Solution: Create an information box about MedicineNet.com on the homepage of WebMD.com. While there is a statement at the bottom of the homepage with a link to information about MedicineNet.com, it should be more obvious and give credit where it is due.
2. WebMD.com does an efficient job of crediting sources within their medical articles. In each article, the medical author is credited, as is the reviewing physicians. This ensures that each article provides accurate, credible information. However, the information that appears all over the website is orphaned information, and gives no credit to contributors.
Solution: Create a hyperlink at the bottom of each page to link to a page that lists the contributing authors and their credentials. There is a page for this, but it does not list specific articles or pages. Listing this information would provide more credibility.
3. While WebMD.com does list interactive advertisements for drugs and other products that relate to the information you are viewing, it does not promote or suggest any actions be taken with the product. There are some articles that name treatments for certain ailments, but again, does so in a way that does not seem promotional.
4. The medical professionals that provide information on WebMD.com are licensed professionals. However, as stated earlier, it takes some searching to find their information. The articles name the contributors and authors, but don’t provide links to get further information.
Solution: Provide hyperlinks whenever a contributor or author is named, leading to an information page listing their credentials and experience. This wouldn’t decrease the readability of the site, but would enhance credibility.
5. WebMD.com does not appear to keep any kind of patient records, since it does not provide any service except information. If a site user chooses to register to receive information and coupons via email, it does require entering name and age information. It also asks the user to select topics which they would like to receive more information about. It requires the user to read the Terms of Use and the Privacy Policy before registering. Both documents contain perfectly readable, legitimate information about what information they gather about each user. Since these statements are readily available for those that provide this information, WebMD.com has covered all bases.
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