AGENCY: Rhode Island Department of Health
WHERE TO FIND IT:www.health.state.ri.us
CRITIQUE: The state Department of Health — like any government agency — has its share of bureaucracy. But you’re not going to find it on line. Instead, the agency’s Web site is a clear-cut path to public health advisories, services and day-to-day operations at 3 Capitol Hill. Best of all, it answers the question to which tax-supported institutions are subject: Where is my money going?
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NAVIGATION: The site (viewed on Netscape Navigator version 3.01) does a couple of things up front that make you suspect a so-called regular person had some say in its design. It provides the agency’s address, phone number and fax, a link to driving directions and a place to inquire or complain via e-mail — all on the home page. Successive pages for agency departments and for programs within those departments provide the same, plus names. A keyword search feature helps the viewer find the right office. This is not only handy but essential, given the magnitude of the DOH’s programs and services. There are, for example, 34 listings under the “lead” category.
CONTENT: Contentwise, there are no real surprises here. But that’s not to say the site is static. The department regularly posts study results and press releases, such as the Nov. 16 announcement of a proposed settlement between cigarette makers and 39 states for the cost of treating tobacco-related diseases. A link to the public document is provided.
USEABILITY: The site has several features that can save people time traveling and digging for documents. A recent addition is a page with detailed information about the state’s nursing homes. It includes results of the latest surprise inspections of 104 Medicare-and Medicaid-certified facilities by the DOH.
“Doc-Finder” — a service of the Rhode Island Board of Medical Licensure and Discipline — is a way to locate a Rhode Island physician by name or license number. Findings of unprofessional conduct are noted and viewers are encouraged to pursue details in person. The feature includes information on doctors’ education, years in practice and hospital privileges, among other things.
The site also encourages public participation in health issues. For example, it provided a draft of proposed rules and regulations for school health programs to be presented at a public hearing. It also lists health-related bills passed during the state’s 1997 and 1998 legislative sessions.
DESIGN: The site has the look and feel of a newspaper with the equivalent of “main stories” dominating the home page. A column to the left links to “inside news” and “regular features.” The uncluttered, almost graphics-free environment allows for quick surfing. That was probably the right choice considering the options: meaningless lifestyle photos requiring lots of download time or renderings of, say, the meningococcus germ.
WHO CREATED IT: In house.
Want us to consider your new or improved Web site for a critique? E-mail staff writer Gail Hulbert at gail@pbn.com.
