DATE: September 16, 2010
FOR RELEASE: Immediately
CONTACT: Marketing Manager
(410) 581-6222
The Board of Certification/Accreditation, International, recently launched its new website (www.bocinternational.org), making it fast and easy for site visitors to obtain information on BOC, certification, and facility accreditation. It also provides directories of certificants and accredited facilities, news updates and announcements of coming events.
The update was a nine-month project, completed in collaboration with NSI Partners (www.nsipartners.com), an online marketing firm selected for its experience in the healthcare industry. The project began with an analysis of what features would be most helpful to varied audiences who will use the site – including current and prospective certificants, staff from current and prospective accredited facilities, health care practitioners who make referrals, patients who are looking for health care providers, and individuals who, because family or friends have O&P assistance needs, are hoping to get a better understanding of O&P.
One feature that is especially helpful is a “Search” box at the top of each page, which allows site visitors to type in keywords and easily locate the website area(s) that answers their information need. Another prominent feature is the site’s user-friendly navigation – site visitors can quickly find their area of interest, and then locate the appropriate sub-section with equal ease.
“This is a major step forward for BOC, and for everyone who comes to us for information,” says Claudia Zacharias, MBA, CAE, president & CEO of BOC. “Many people worked hard on this project, but none harder than Lindsay Flis, MBA, MS, our marketing manager. The entire BOC staff is grateful for the way she immersed herself in making sure every aspect of our site is clear, clean, rapidly responsive and easy to use. It’s also a pleasure to recognize our Board members and others who served as beta testers or provided other advice and assistance. Thanks to all who participated, our site is now a quick and uncomplicated reference center, and we are all proud of it.”
Flis was charged with Phase I, or the “front end” of the site upgrade, making it easy to find whatever someone needs. Working with NSI Partners, her role included developing the site’s “look,” selecting and testing navigational tools, and ensuring the site’s functionality and performance. She also oversaw extensive re-writing of information to make the site’s tone conversational and helpful, streamlined applications and forms, and assembled groups to test the site. BOC operations director Jeff Price, MCP, will take the lead on Phase II of the project, focusing on everything related to the site’s database interface, i.e. enabling site visitors to easily complete online business transactions.
Zacharias noted that the website’s “look” is also the introduction of BOC’s updated visual branding, which will continue be rolled out to other materials in the coming months. “Branding has become an integral part of organizational identity,” she noted. “Whether you may have one audience or many audiences, branding enables everyone to recognize the organization immediately, connect with it easily and trust it without hesitation. Extending our updated branding will support our commitment to serve as a reliable referral and information resource, enabling us to expand our reach within the field.”
As Sharon Nichelson, CMF, COF, chairwoman of BOC’s Board of Directors, put it, “BOC is here to be of service. Our new website takes that concept to another level, and I invite the entire O&P and DME communities to take a look at www.bocinternational.org. We also invite visitors to give us their opinions. Although we’re convinced it’s an improved site, we believe that no website should be static. So if anyone has suggestions for improving it further, please send them along.”
Since 1984, the Board of Certification/Accreditation, International (BOC) has provided credentials demonstrating the competence and proficiency of O&P professionals. BOC offers NCCA-accredited certification programs in five disciplines: orthotics, prosthetics, pedorthics, orthotic fitting, and mastectomy fitting. BOC’s facility accreditation program partners with Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics and Orthotics Supplies (DMEPOS) suppliers to meet standards set by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and improve business practices. BOC credentials celebrate and recognize the competence, professionalism and safe practice environments of BOC-certified practitioners and BOC-accredited facilities.