A Bayesian Network-Based Browsing Model for Patients Seeking Radiology-Related Information on Hospital Websites: Development and Usability Study

Background: An increasing number of people are visiting hospital websites to seek better services and treatments compared to the past. It is therefore important for hospitals to develop websites to meet the needs of their patients. However, few studies have investigated whether and how the current hospital websites meet the patient's needs. Above all, in radiation departments, it may be difficult for patients to obtain the desired information regarding modality and diagnosis because such information is subdivided when described on a website. Objective: The purpose of this study is to suggest a hospital website search behavior model by analyzing the browsing behavior model using a Bayesian network from the perspective of one-to-one marketing. Methods: First, we followed the website access log of Hokkaido University Hospital, which was collected from September 1, 2016, to August 31, 2017, and analyzed the access log using Google Analytics. Second, we specified the access records related to radiology from visitor browsing pages and keywords. Third, using these resources, we structured 3 Bayesian network models based on specific patient needs: radiotherapy, nuclear medicine examination, and radiological diagnosis. Analyzing each model, this study considered why some visitors could not reach their desired page and improvements to meet the needs of visitors seeking radiology-related information. Results: The radiotherapy model showed that 74% (67/90) of the target visitors could reach their requested page, but only 2% (2/90) could reach the Center page where inspection information, one of their requested pages, is posted. By analyzing the behavior of the visitors, we clarified that connecting with the radiotherapy and radiological diagnosis pages is useful for increasing the proportion of patients reaching their requested page. Conclusions: We proposed solutions for patient web-browsing accessibility based on a Bayesian network. Further analysis is necessary to verify the accuracy of the proposed model in comparison to other models. It is expected that information provided on hospital websites will be improved using this method.

Automated summary

This study aims to propose a hospital website search behavior model by analyzing browsing behavior through a Bayesian network perspective of one-to-one marketing. By analyzing the website access log of Hokkaido University Hospital, access records related to radiology were specified, and 3 Bayesian network models were structured based on specific patient needs. The results showed that almost all target visitors could reach their requested page, but only a few were able to reach other specific pages.