Best Practice of Using Structured Content in Healthcare

In healthcare, information is key. Structured content helps keep everything running well.

Let’s look at how to use structured content in healthcare. These tips will help improve your content strategy.

Establish Clear Content Governance

Good content needs rules. Structured content is no different. A content governance plan helps manage and create content in a clear way.

Start by setting clear roles. For example, strategists plan the content. Writers, editors, and reviewers create and improve it. Everyone knows what to do—like players on a team.

Next, match your content goals to your organization’s goals. This makes sure the content supports your mission.

Keep your plan flexible. Healthcare changes fast. For example, a clinic may focus more on mental health during a crisis.

Think of a content plan like a game strategy. It helps your team stay on track.

Use Standardized Content Models

Standards are important in healthcare. They help share and understand content across systems.

Examples of content models include SNOMED CT, HL7, and FHIR. These make your content more useful and future-ready.

For example, HL7 helps a hospital’s system talk to a lab’s system. This helps with faster and safer care.

Using standards keeps your content clear and easy to use. It also makes updates easier and faster.

For instance, FHIR helps insurance companies get patient info from many places. This makes claims faster and smoother.

In short, standard models help you stay organized and build stronger content.

Read also: Healthcare and the relevance of structured content »

Prioritize Metadata and Taxonomy

Metadata is key info about your content—like who made it or what it's about. It helps people find the right content fast.

In healthcare, using standard metadata helps organize your content. For example, tags like “pediatrician” or “oncologist” help people find what they need.

Taxonomy is like a content map. It shows how different content pieces are connected. A system like SNOMED CT helps with this.

SNOMED CT is a medical language. It helps organize and describe health terms in a clear way.

Using good metadata and taxonomy makes your content easier to find and shows your work is serious and professional.

Embrace Modular Content Design

Modular content is like Lego blocks. You can use and reuse small parts to build many different things.

This helps you update or change one part without touching the rest. For example, you can change a “symptoms” block without changing the whole article.

It also makes it easier to grow your content. You can add more blocks or reuse old ones to make something new. This saves time.

For example, a clinic could reuse a “prevention tips” block in many patient guides. This keeps content clear and consistent.

See also: What features should a CMS have to cater to the healthcare sector?

Encourage Collaboration and Knowledge Sharing

Creating good content is a team effort. Sharing knowledge helps make better and more complete content.

Encourage your team to talk often and share ideas. This improves quality and teamwork.

For example, a hospital’s writers and doctors can work together to make sure patient guides are clear and correct.

Use tools that help people work together, like CMS platforms or cloud-based sharing tools.

These tools help teams stay connected and keep content up to date.

By building a good team culture and using the right tools, your content will stay strong and useful.

First published 4 May 2023, updated 4 April 2025.