What happens when…

a world-class hospital system needs two branded websites in the same timeline?

The modern hospital has become so common we can safely assume there’s one nearby in every city. If we haven’t been a patient ourselves, we’ve probably visited – or at the very least seen one on TV. (Grey’s Anatomy, anyone?) But while most people have a general understanding of how hospitals work, building not one but two websites for a hospital system takes a unique set of skills. A team that can navigate state requirements, HIPAA compliance and a quickly approaching deadline. All to create an optimized, branded experience that encapsulates 70 years of healing children in need.

The Client:

Driscoll Children’s Health System
When people think pediatric health in South Texas, they think Driscoll. This network of hospitals, clinics and a health plan provide access to outstanding healthcare ranging from regular checkups to rare disorders. As Driscoll embarked on a major expansion, building a new freestanding children’s hospital in the Rio Grande Valley, they engaged with some of the top agencies in the state in search of the right partner for the ambitious work ahead. After a rigorous selection process, MDR was chosen to refine the brand and expand their website presence, helping meet the needs of a growing footprint.

The Challenge:

One to Grow On.
Driscoll needed a website foundation that would allow them to scale up into the future. Their current websites were built on an antiquated Content Management System (CMS), making it difficult to update content and images, let alone add new content as their physical locations grew. Because of this, brand usage, site performance and Spanish translations were a struggle – and organic search rankings were waning.

Additionally, the client needed both a new main hospital website and their community-based health plan website completed simultaneously on a tight timeline.

The Process:

After winning the pitch, we had an opportunity to quickly start working with (and living, breathing and sleeping) the Driscoll brand. Before we approached the website, our team had already begun delivering on the “Together, we heal.” campaign, a sweeping internal and external effort that focused on the incredible teamwork between members of the Driscoll system and the brave families of patients. This helped us refine the Driscoll message so it could inspire across their own organization – and the world.

In order to deliver on these fast-approaching deadlines, we needed all hands on deck. That meant forming dedicated client service, creative and web teams. Established point-people communicated with our client, who funneled questions and feedback through the many stakeholders vetting the sites.

The Objective:

With two websites in the works and a running countdown clock, MDR would need to:

• Build a solid framework. By designing and developing a single website framework, both the hospital and health plan websites would have a foundation to grow on.
• Boost brand use. Site visitors expect a website to be an extension of the business identity. The site needed to highlight Driscoll’s purpose and communicate clearly to the target audiences.
• Improve user experience. We needed to make sure parents and guardians could navigate to information in the fewest clicks.
• Rebuild the CMS. Client needed to easily be able to keep content fresh and up to date.
• Enhance real-time website translations. Patient needs are the same regardless of language. A seamless translation tool would be essential to sharing critical information.
• Upgrade mobile design and usability. The best patient care would begin with a high-quality experience across phone, tablet and desktop.

The Strategy:

Our web team laid the path toward two websites that capture Driscoll’s remarkable brand promise. By rebuilding the codebase and framework using WordPress, this updated CMS would ensure code longevity, performance, security and repeatability for Driscoll Health System.

Using Google Analytics Data and client feedback, we reorganized the site content and sitemap for the best possible user experience. We also researched and selected a language translation tool that utilizes AI translations – allowing the client to manage only one version of the website.

From a brand perspective, the designers and copywriters established a working foundation of messaging, photo styles, fonts and color blocks to bring a refreshed Driscoll perspective to each website. The web development team was able to reference this style guide throughout development – ensuring every page and pixel of both websites felt like Driscoll.

The Results:

While challenging, this dual undertaking allowed our team to shine – and we’ve got the numbers to prove it. In just 18 months, we delivered two websites that exceeded client expectations. Our team consisted of three writers, three designers, five website developers, four project managers and many helpful minds and content owners who stepped in to keep up the momentum.

Between the two websites, our team wrote, designed and developed over 300 pages, built 132 doctor profiles, finalized 63 specialty pages – and completed 900+ hours of coding.

All that work paid off. After the site went live:

You can see both websites here:

Request for Partnership:

Honing a digital experience worthy of the Driscoll name meant enlisting an entire team of proven experts. MDR Advertising brings that same skill, passion and focus to every project, helping build a portfolio of award-winning work and a reputation for ingenuity that has held fast for five decades. Whether you need a new website foundation or a better way to represent your business in the marketplace, we’re ready to make it a reality. Reach out, and let’s write the next page of your company story together.