Building a site isn't all there is to home medical equipment on the Web. There is also the challenge of maintaining the site.

For that, Velma Goertzen, general manager of Hutchinson, Kan.-based Health-E-Quip, turned to experts. She and her staff work with Enfosys, a local, independent company that designs and manages Web sites. The relationship is cost-effective, she says, considering she does not have the expertise to manage the site properly or the funds to hire a dedicated Web employee.

“They immersed themselves in our company to understand our business,” says Goertzen, who relies on Enfosys for specific tasks, such as site content maintenance, visitor and sales tracking, and search engine updates — a crucial aspect of maintaining a viable Web presence. “Anybody can design a Web site, but it is hard to understand what should be promoted unless they understand what the business is about.”

Contracting with a management company can be a practical option for many HME providers that cannot employ a full-time staff member with the necessary technological skills. At Health-E-Quip, six employees participate in the operation of its site, but no one works on it exclusively.

A Web site design and management company can tailor its services to the needs of individual companies. Goertzen recommends the following considerations:

Research available vendors. The cost of designing and maintaining a Web site varies by geographic regions. Goertzen found that using a local company with a home-based office saved her money and enabled her to enlarge the site.

Explore your options. Tell the design company your expectations but be prepared to listen to other options. Health-E-Quip invested in a larger site than originally planned to accomplish its goals.

Utilize current marketing materials. Goertzen used company fact sheets, newsletters and other marketing pieces to originate the content on the Health-E-Quip site. These same materials also provide content updates and are sent to the management company regularly.