Developing a value-added Web site.

Once a healthcare organization has decided to establish a Web site on the Internet, it must next determine its implementation strategy, based on a full understanding of the goals of the site and the range of Web content and service offerings available in the marketplace. Although some organizations may choose to develop and maintain a Web site using exclusively in-house resources, most healthcare organizations will find that they can minimize the costs associated with this effort by making judicious use of outsourcing services. Whichever approach is used, it is important that financial managers charged with allocating resources for Web-site development and maintenance understand the implications, including relative financial impact, of key issues and options.