Towards the Improvement of User Experience: A Study on Usability and Performance in Public Hospital Websites in Ecuador

Kerly Palacios-Zamora () and Juan Manuel Cueva Lovelle ()
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Kerly Palacios-Zamora: Universidad Estatal de Milagro
Juan Manuel Cueva Lovelle: Universidad de Oviedo

A chapter in Health Technologies and Demographic Challenges, 2025, pp 343-358 from Springer

Abstract: Abstract This study assesses the performance and usability of public hospital websites in Ecuador, employing two methodologies: web performance analysis tools (GTmetrix, WebPageTest, and Google PageSpeed Insights) and the heuristic usability evaluation tool, SIRIUS. The findings unveil significant variations in both performance and usability among the analyzed websites, underscoring the necessity for site-specific optimizations to enhance user experience. Deficiencies were identified in navigation and information presentation, negatively impacting the user experience and highlighting the need to improve the clarity, organization, and relevance of content. Additionally, many websites fail to comply with accessibility guidelines, making it challenging for patients to find pertinent information for their needs. It is suggested to adopt a comprehensive approach that encompasses both technical optimization and user-centered design improvement, along with the provision of personalized content. To enhance the user experience, it is recommended to reduce the Time to First Byte (TTFB) and improve loading times. Regular heuristic evaluations are also crucial to identify usability issues and ensure positive enhancements in the user experience. Implementing accessibility standards such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is essential to ensure that websites are accessible to all.

Keywords: Web usability; Web performance; Public hospitals; User experience; Heuristic evaluation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:spr:prbchp:978-3-031-94901-2_28

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DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-94901-2_28

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