I rarely leave the house without my phone. In fact, if I’m already on the road and realize I forgot it, I will go back to get it–even if it will put me at risk of being late.

If you’re like many Americans using smartphones, you use it to do more than communicate. Everyday I use my iPhone to surf the web, listen to music, check my bank account, manage my desktop computer and update social media sites.

Smartphone applications have allowed us as communicators to do much more than we ever thought possible. On the same token, it’s completely changed the way consumers preview, research and buy products and services. With the growing popularity of smart phones and other mobile devices, having a website with mobile access is no longer just a novelty aimed at a few people lucky enough to have iPhones. A mobile site is a must.

So, what does this mean for you?

I’ve listed a couple of reasons why your hospital or health system website needs to be mobile-friendly:

1. Nearly 1 in 5 Americans access mobile web daily.
   And this rate is increasing annually. It is now essential to represent your hospital on mobile web before your competitor does.
2. 93% of Americans own mobile phones.
   Though not all the mobile phones have Internet access capabilities, it is the current trend. Internet accessibility is available not only in smart phones but also in some standard phones. But in the future, it is probable that all phones have some online access.
3. The average iPhone user only spends 45% of their time making voice calls.
   That means more than half of their time is spent doing others things like checking email, using applications and using the web.
4. Mobile web is expected to surpass desktop web in five years.
   A report by Morgan Stanley reported mobile web use will be bigger than desktop Internet use by 2015. So, in all honesty, you have a few years to make your website mobile-friendly but your competitors might be already developing a mobile-friendly site. It is obvious that a vast majority of your site visitors will be on a mobile in the near future. Take a look at how mobile phones are used right now. They are either used on the go or to look something up quickly.

   For instance, Sherman Hospital headquartered in Elgin, Illinois, has a mobile-friendly landing page that allows you to click on its main features fast and easy. I think it’s easy to use, fast and has a clear understanding of where to go for the information you’re looking for.

5. 83 million people worldwide are using their phones to surf the web.
   According to a report by The Neilson Company, 83 million people globally are mobile phone web users. That is a HUGE portion of people that will not be able to visit your site if it’s not easily accessible. Studies show that your website traffic increases the more mobile-friendly it is. Its user loyalty, they appreciate being able to access your website whenever they need.

   Mercy Health System, headquartered in Janesville, made its social network hub, MercyPulse.org, mobile-friendly when it launched a few years ago to connect with its online/social media communities.

6. Ads for the mobile web will surpass $6.5 billion by the end of 2012.
   If big-name advertisers are investing that much cash into their marketing budgets for mobile web, there’s obviously a good reason to do so.

Case in point: make your website mobile-friendly. Make sure your site’s navigation is simple and intuitive enough to use from either a phone or a tablet devise. Keep the content at the top of your website brief and make your videos mobile-friendly.

Is your hospital’s website mobile-friendly? To you, what are the pros and cons? Join the conversation!

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