PACSpage Commentary...

PACS / DICOM / Teleradiology / Telemedicine

General Commentary on Industry Vendor's Home Pages

I currently maintain a "master list" of vendors in the PACS/teleradiology industry. I perform searches through a variety of sources on the 'net: search engines, other's pages, trade journals, e-mail from others, etc. Currently, there are over 200 companies in our industry on my list and 111 of those companies on the web and the numbers keep growing...

I am no expert on the Web, HTML, teleradiology, etc., but as an observer, I have picked up a few pointers here and there, and given the nature of the Internet, I will comment on what I have found. Some of these are suggestions, others just observations. Do with them what you will, your mileage may vary.

1. There are many companies out there in the world. Many of them have similar names. On the internet, you are your domain name. Unfortunately, there are many domain names that could apply to many companies. People should double check the addresses before they publish them. Usually, one is able to guess at the domain name, but many magazines, trade publications or others publish names of the address without checking. It is bad enough if the address does not exist or the web server is not working yet, but when the address points to a company that is completely different, there is no excuse.
   
   I have been guilty of this as well, as anybody who actually has used my page could tell.
   
   
2. The latest and greatest Web browser features that are out there are great. Animations, frames, complex tables, fonts, backgrounds, etc. There is nothing worse that a web page that attempts to throw every possible HTML extension/feature at you to make the page "great". Unfortunately, not everybody has the latest and greatest browser, a "2.4 Gigabit per second" connection OR (more importantly) all the time in the world.
   
   I am not suggesting that pages should be the lowest common denominator in browser technology. Otherwise, there would never be any innovation in browser technology. BUT, web page developers should remember their audience. The people who are using these pages are not "pushing the limit of web browsing". They are looking for information. If a page takes more than 5-10 seconds to load, it becomes annoying. 30 seconds or more is unacceptable. Any value that the first impression may have had is lost. Remember the web page is a marketing tool. You want people to remember your page, but not because it could not load. The KISS principle really applies here. Keep It Simple. Maybe when bandwidth is not a problem and web browsers are as common as televisions in everybody's homes, super complex pages will be good. But when I am looking for information, the fancy stuff becomes distracting and annoying.
   
   I use about 6 different browsers when I search the web, and the above advice applies to sessions with each of them. Hopefully, web page developers will notice.
   
   
3. This is the first site I am mentioning by name: http://www.varian.com. How rude. When attempting with an older browser, I get a rude "You need a new browser." Nothing else. So, after trying a newer browser and getting the same stupid message, I think I can say that Varian could have come up with something a little nicer. Lots of Web pages have -- I come across them all of the time. I got through on the third browser, and added it to my list. But, if I was purchasing their product, I think I can honestly say I would not have gone through the trouble.
   
   After reviewing the site, there is nothing special there that could not have been turned into a text-only or non-frame or "Older browser" version. Laziness and poor marketing ? I don't know -- I can't make that call. How many potential customers will look at this with an old browser and not realize why they can't view. At least other sites give you the option to download the newer software, or a reason why you can't browse.
   
   Note: They have since fixed the problem, but this example still holds, and I am leaving it for others to learn from.
   
   
4. Unless there is a good reason (and usually there isn't), please don't change the font colours on my browser. It is a nice HTML extension, but there are just too many times that your page turns out with bright cyan on a bright yellow. Try reading a page of text with those colours. Migraine city. This just makes it too easy to pass your page over. I go to a browser that does not support font colour changes (or configure it that way) when that happens, but many people don't have the patience, have the time, or want to bother. Potential lost sale. Or your valuable information that you wish to present is lost. Oh, well -- lost marketing opportunity.
   
   
5. Pet peeve: publishing a web address that does not exist, just to have one. I find this, as a web surfer to be annoying. As a web page developer, I understand that sometimes it happens. Don't publish a web address unless it works. Once it doesn't work, a casual surfer will pass it over -- someone who really wants to see your page will have a bad first impression...
   
   
6. On the other hand, publish your web address if you have one, don't hide it. Paying to host a web page is not money well spent if no one can find it. (This does not include private web addresses, of course). But, there are many companies who do not put their web addresses in their sales literature or corporate correspondence and I think that this is an awful waste. If your web developers have put in so much time to make a web page, show it off. Be proud.
   
   
7. When developing, or when finished developing your web page, test it on more than one browser. Not everyone has the luxury of multiple browsers, but most formatting problems could be detected quickly if just one other browser used to check your page.
   
   
8. When you browse, if you find a good page, bookmark it, link to it, tell your friends or colleagues, but let the author know. Web Authors really appreciate hearing from people that use their pages (even if they can't get back to you immediately).
   
   
9. Another pet peeve: Web page developers for some reason do not place the address of their page anywhere on the viewed page. This may not seem like a big deal, but when someone prints out information or faxes information to you, saying "This is neat -- I got it off the Web", it might be nice to have the address of the page actually in the text of the page. I know that the web Designer/Master may move the page around, but I do not think that this is such a hard thing to do. If you print out a web page, it is useful for reference.
   
   
10. Just another note. Medical Device Manufacturers have to know that they are regulated by the F.D.A. The Web is a form of Marketing (although there is some discussion about that one). Although there is some discussion as to the reach of the F.D.A. when it comes to the WWW, Marketing is Marketing. If you (as a Medical Device manufacturer) mention in your marketing/lableling that your device is "F.D.A. approved", "Cleared by the F.D.A.", or mention your Establishment Registration, Device Listing, PreMarket Notification [510(k) number], Investigational Device Exemption [IDE] or Premarket Approval [PMA], you are "misbranding" your product. This is against the law, prohibited under Section 310(l) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, Section 807.39 of 21 CFR, and 807.97 of 21 CFR.
    
    Note: This also includes companies from outside the U.S.A. who are marketing their devices for sale within the U.S.A. (The interpretation of that statement is currently under debate.)