Salisbury, MD — Coastal Hospice has launched a new website designed to help patients, families, caregivers and community members quickly find the compassionate care, support, and resources they need.
Developed in partnership with D3, the new CoastalHospice.org features a cleaner design, simplified navigation, improved accessibility, and stronger connections between related information throughout the website.
“Our main goal was to create the best possible experience for our patients, families and caregivers so they can find what they need quickly,” said Joy Stokes, communications and marketing team leader for Coastal Hospice. “Many people who come to our website are looking for information during an incredibly challenging time. We wanted the site to feel welcoming, be easy to navigate, and connect them with the right resources without making it extremely difficult.”
The redesigned website brings together information about Coastal Hospice, its programs and services, ways to get involved, and, most importantly, how to request care. Visitors can find information about hospice and palliative care, grief and pediatric support, community education, charitable giving, events, volunteer opportunities and the Coastal Hospice Thrift Shop. The project included a careful review of the site’s menus, page organization, and wording to help visitors reach the most relevant information with fewer clicks.
“We spent a lot of time thinking about the menu, the wording and how everything was organized,” Stokes said. “If someone is looking for home hospice care, we want them to be able to click and immediately find the information they need. The new site is much cleaner and easier to navigate.”
Charitable giving was also a major focus of the redesign. Donations and fundraising help support Coastal Hospice patient care and grief programs throughout the communities it serves. The new site better organizes giving information so opportunities to support the organization are easier to understand and access.
The site incorporates accessibility features, including screen reader compatibility, keyboard navigation, readable text and appropriate color contrast, to better serve people with a range of abilities.
“Coastal Hospice serves people at moments when finding clear, trustworthy information shouldn’t be difficult,” said Jay Bosley, chief operating officer of D3. “Our focus was on creating a website that makes that journey easier whether someone is looking for care for a loved one, grief support, an upcoming support group, or a way to give back. Every decision about the site was made with that user experience in mind.”
Additional features include an integrated social media feed, a custom events calendar and expanded access to Coastal Hospice’s podcast and community education content. D3 developed a custom module that automatically pulls new podcast episodes from the program’s RSS feed and connects visitors to the various platforms where they can listen. The redesign also eliminated lengthy photo galleries and excess scrolling. A redesigned News page under the About Us menu now serves as a centralized location for Coastal Hospice newsletters, annual reports, press releases and a direct link to the organization’s YouTube page.
Behind the scenes, the new website gives the Coastal Hospice team significantly more control over its content. Staff can easily update events, support groups, newsletters, annual reports, staff recognition, programs and other information, helping keep the website timely and relevant.
“The difference on the back end has been tremendous,” Stokes said. “Making updates with this newer version of WordPress is less cumbersome, and the speed of our new site is something I have not seen in my almost five years with the Communications & Marketing Department. The D3 team has been there to teach us and answer questions along the way. From our first meeting, we felt like there was a clear plan and that we had an entire team behind us.”
The new Coastal Hospice website is now live at CoastalHospice.org.
About Coastal Hospice
Coastal Hospice is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has provided compassionate care since 1980, focusing on comfort, symptom management, and quality of life for patients and families navigating life-limiting illnesses and end-of-life care. Founded by a small group of Salisbury residents when modern hospice was still new to the U.S., Coastal Hospice remains committed to supporting patients and families through every stage of care, wherever they call home — whether in a private residence, skilled nursing center, assisted living community, Coastal Hospice at the Lake, or the Macky & Pam Stansell House. The organization serves Maryland’s four Lower Eastern Shore counties: Wicomico, Worcester, Dorchester and Somerset. Medicare, Medicaid and private insurance cover most costs, and Coastal Hospice provides care regardless of a patient’s ability to pay. Charitable support helps make its programs and services possible.
To learn more about Coastal Hospice, visit coastalhospice.org.
