Integration of Web Analytics Into Graduate Medical Education: Usability Study

Jackson Massanelli; Kevin W Sexton; Chris T Lesher; Hanna K Jensen; Mary K Kimbrough; Anna Privratsky; John R Taylor; Avi Bhavaraju

doi:10.2196/29748

Integration of Web Analytics Into Graduate Medical Education: Usability Study

JMIR Form Res. 2021 Dec 13;5(12):e29748. doi: 10.2196/29748.

Authors

Jackson Massanelli¹, Kevin W Sexton², Chris T Lesher¹, Hanna K Jensen², Mary K Kimbrough², Anna Privratsky², John R Taylor², Avi Bhavaraju²

Affiliations

¹ College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.
² Division of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, United States.

PMID: 34898459
PMCID: PMC8713092
DOI: 10.2196/29748

Abstract

Background: Web analytics is the measurement, collection, analysis, and reporting of website and web application usage data. While common in the e-commerce arena, web analytics is underutilized in graduate medical education (GME).

Objective: The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Department of Surgery website was revamped with input from in-house surgeons in August 2017. This study investigated the use of web analytics to gauge the impact of our department's website redesign project.

Methods: Google Analytics software was used to measure website performance before and after implementation of the new website. Eight-month matched periods were compared. Factors tracked included total users, new users, total sessions, sessions per user, pages per session, average session duration, total page views, and bounce rate (the percentage of visitors who visit a site and then leave [ie, bounce] without continuing to another page on the same site).

Results: Analysis using a nonpaired Student t test demonstrated a statistically significant increase for total page views (before vs after: 33,065 vs 81,852; P<.001) and decrease for bounce rate (before vs after: 50.70% vs 0.23%; P<.001). Total users, new users, total sessions, sessions per user, and pages per session showed improvement. The average session duration was unchanged. Subgroup analysis showed that after the main page, the next 3 most frequently visited pages were related to GME programs in our department.

Conclusions: Web analytics is a practical measure of a website's efficacy. Our data suggest that a modern website significantly improves user engagement. An up-to-date website is essential for contemporary GME recruitment, will likely enhance engagement of residency applicants with GME programs, and warrants further investigation.

Keywords: analytics; graduate medical education; medical education; residency recruitment; usability; usage; user engagement; user-centered design; website; website analysis; website design.

©Jackson Massanelli, Kevin W Sexton, Chris T Lesher, Hanna K Jensen, Mary K Kimbrough, Anna Privratsky, John R Taylor, Avi Bhavaraju. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 13.12.2021.