We all know the #1 New Year’s resolution for health insurance companies in 2009: find a way to decrease costs and provide more affordable health insurance coverage. And while that is certainly a good resolution, it is apparently not the only one they need to focus on. Based on a recent study by ForeSee Results, the websites of hospitals greatly outperform the websites of health insurance companies. On a 100-point scale, hospital websites received an average satisfaction score of 74, while health insurance websites only received an average score of 65.

The results are composed of satisfaction scores taken from a wide variety of health care websites. Some of the sites included in the survey are:

• Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas
• Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida
• Medline Plus
• Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center
• MetLife
• University of Virginia Health Systems
• Various websites associated with the National Institutes of Health

Satisfaction scores are based on several aspects of the online experience. ForeSee Results applies the methodology of the University of Michigan’s American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) to help organizations improve their customer’s online experience. They have found that simple things, such as navigation and site performance, will greatly improve overall satisfaction and customer loyalty. In fact, the statistics are quite astonishing. When compared to less satisfied visitors, highly satisfied visitors to a health care website are:

• 66% more likely to return to the website
• 92% more likely to recommend the website to others
• 112% more likely to use the website as a primary form of communication with the company

A positive online experience can do more than just drive additional business to your company. A comprehensive, easy-to-use website can also be a tremendous way to save money (bringing us back to the first New Year’s resolution!). Replacing phone calls, in-person visits, or traditional paper mail with online communication saves both time and money – and even the environment (less paper). But most importantly, by providing a positive online experience, health insurance companies are improving their customer’s overall satisfaction with their health insurance provider. These days, when searching for online information, consumers want speed, accuracy, and convenience. If health insurance companies learn to tailor their websites to fit these criteria, they will certainly find great rewards.