Sector(s)
As leading universities and medical programs increasingly publish research and promote programs on the Internet, the Department of Pathology realized the need to rethink its current Website strategy in order to maintain its prominence in the field. It required the ability to keep different constituencies - clinicians, researchers, outside physicians, patients and students - informed on various pathology-related topics.
The Department of Pathology's existing Website (and the process to publish new information on it) was information-poor and required technical knowledge to maintain it. This made it costly and cumbersome to keep the Website timely.
The Department of Pathology envisioned a new Website that would both provide a broad range of dynamic content and serve as a resource to engage each visitor type. It first worked with Cabengo on concept, content strategy, site architecture, functional specifications, and design, then enlisted DPCI to deliver the underlying Drupal technology platform that would support the Department of Pathology's growing Web publishing needs.
"We want to attract the best and the brightest to our growing programs by highlighting the strengths of our diverse department - today, the most cost-effective way to reach outstanding students and researchers is through a strong Web presence." Dr. Roth said.
About the project
Based on the Department of Pathology's needs, DPCI integrated Cabengo's designs with the Drupal Web content management system, an easy-to-use Web publishing solution. With Drupal, members of the department who do not have technical Web-editing expertise can have the ability to publish content and update their personal profile pages, meaning more than 160 faculty members have the potential to participate in maintaining the Website.
DPCI also customized Drupal with an enhanced search capability. This allows visitors to find people, publications, and other material on the Website with ease. Additionally, DPCI implemented a "Wiki" collaboration tool that allows glossary content to be revised and edited by authorized faculty and staff.
"After working with Dr. Roth and his team as well as the group at Cabengo, we were able to build the technology infrastructure that will enable the Department of Pathology to take their Website to the next level," added Tracy Gardner, Vice President Client Services at DPCI. "The Drupal-based solution provides a user-friendly environment for the different users and groups to update information, publish new works, and deliver more compelling content in a timely manner."
The Results
The Department of Pathology now has a dynamic Web publishing platform to showcase its research and scholarly works and deliver all types of patient information to its various audiences. Authorized staff members now have control of the Website's maintenance, including updating and editing content, without needing technical expertise in HTML. As a result, updates and new information are published more quickly, and more members of the department are engaged in producing content.
Perhaps the greatest value of all is that the new Website can expand and grow as the program does. The Drupal-based solution gives the Department of Pathology the ability to promote its triple mission of education, research, and patient care, as well as the individual needs of the people who are instrumental in the evolution of the department and the field of pathology.
"Working with Cabengo and DPCI has enabled us to utilize cutting edge technology without complexity and empowers the entire team at the Department of Pathology with new tools to deliver insightful research, patient information, and educational programs," Dr. Roth added. "The new site rocks."
"The Department of Pathology's new Website is useful and usable for key audiences as well as for those responsible for its maintenance and growth. Cabengo's clean, contemporary experience design coupled with DPCI's flexible and scalable Web publishing solution not only distinguishes the Department of Pathology among its peers but also demonstrates its forward-thinking approach," explained Hillary Leone, President of Cabengo LLC.
Why Drupal was chosen
The New York University (NYU) Department of Pathology is one of the largest departments at NYU Langone Medical Center, with physicians practicing at Tisch Hospital, Bellevue Medical Center, the Hospital for Joint Diseases and the VA Medical Center. The department, devoted to establishing a scholarly community for the creation and dissemination of knowledge related to pathology, is widely regarded as a leader in immunological research, molecular oncology, and experimental pathology.
To support its goal of providing and promoting the latest education, research, and patient care information, the Department of Pathology, led by Chairman David B. Roth, M.D., Ph.D., needed to upgrade its Website. It worked with New York City-based agencies Cabengo and DPCI to redesign the Website and implement Drupal to simplify the publishing process.
Technical Specifications
Key modules/theme/distribution used:
- Enhanced user profiles that allow faculty members to highlight their research interests and latest publications
- Customized searches for People and Publications to promote the department's faculty
- Wiki that allows selected members of the department to contribute and edit term definitions
- Auto-notification to administrators when content editors submit changes
- The PathTalk blog allows department chair Dr. David B. Roth to share his thoughts with the pathology community at NYU.
