Working your private Web: the ins and outs of intranets

There is a variety of good reasons for hospitals to consider setting up their own intranets. The most common motivations are the needs to reduce paperwork and have ready access to data. Careful attention to design standards will make it easier for users to make the most of their intranet. A consistent "look" makes pages more user-friendly, as well as providing for easy navigation. Intranet content can very with the hospital. Some see problems with putting individual patient data on the intranet. Setup costs can vary with the hospital. For some, the costs may be minimal.