Evaluation of the online-presence (homepage) of burn units/burn centers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland

Abstract Purpose A successful online presence is an important key factor in the competition among hospitals today. However, little is known about the internet presence and the quality of websites of burn units on the World Wide Web. The aim was to assess the online presence of hospitals provided by specialized burn units in German speaking countries with a focus on the rate and the performance of actively run websites. Methods A multicenter, observational, cross-sectional study was performed over a period of 1.5 month (October–December 2010). Forty-four burn units were assessed by using a previously generated criteria list. The list included 36 criteria with following topics: “research and teaching”; “patient care”; “clinical emphases”, “general information”; “information brokerage”. Results Overall, the websites examined offered a good overview about their different online services with many multimedia-based elements included. All websites consisted of hyperlinks, general multimedia-based elements and information on means of communication with the hospital, respectively. In contrast, the quality of specific information for burn patients was relatively poor. With regard to the need of elderly people, the usability and the layout, the different websites offer a lot of options for future improvements. Conclusion Burn centers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland already consider the World Wide Web as an important tool for self-promotion and communication. The potential of burn center websites to function as a knowledge base for first aid as well as preventive measurements should be considered and realized in future web site designs.