UKHD: A Central and Modern Digital Infrastructure for UKHD

A Vast Network of Healthcare Websites

UKHD, one of Germany’s largest medical centers, was constrained by an outdated digital infrastructure. Their network of multi-branded websites, catering to over 50 departments and presented in three languages, was difficult to manage, leading to outdated information that affected staff, students, and patients. As the organization expanded, so did the complexity, with content editors struggling to keep over 40,000 pages up-to-date. With over 2,000 doctors and almost 3,500 nurses, frequent changes in data—such as names, phone numbers, and department details—added to the challenge. Moreover, medical staff worked across multiple departments, requiring tailored information on their specialties and experience. The inadequate search function further hindered users from finding the necessary information quickly.

Almost ten years ago, UKHD embarked on a relationship with b13 to implement their digital transformation, and the partnership is still going strong. This long-term collaboration highlights b13’s commitment to its clients and the robust multisite and multilingual capabilities of TYPO3 CMS.

An Ongoing Journey: Iterative Improvements

In 2016, b13 began working with UKHD, taking an incremental, iterative approach to tackle their digital challenges. TYPO3 was an obvious choice for its ability to support a multisite, multilingual setup, crucial for UKHD’s need to provide content in English, German, and Russian. b13 created the initial concept, design, and technical implementation for UKHD, and has since maintained and continuously improved the project, expanding the TYPO3 instance over the years.

The first priority was to establish a single source of truth for information on hospital offices, organizations, therapies, diseases, clinical studies, and staff. b13 created a centralized database to streamline data management, enabling editors to easily edit, add, or update information to ensure accuracy and consistency across UKHD’s network of websites. They then focused on implementing an intuitive and performant search function, crucial given the vast amount of data and interconnected sites. The search function was designed to help users find relevant information quickly, using categorization and boost values to prioritize personal information and contact details over other results. This allows UKHD to promote essential data, like contact information, more effectively. Over time, additional websites were integrated into the same TYPO3 instance, all based on the same core design and feature catalog. With a master site extension, new site setups were streamlined, allowing the TYPO3 instance to grow consistently over the years while maintaining a cohesive design and concept.

In 2023, b13 began optimizing the existing features for performance and accessibility while also updating the design for a modern look and feel. The strong design foundation laid in 2016 through workshops with UKHD has proven to be durable and adaptable. Desirée Lochner, b13 Project Manager, explains:

This enduring relevance speaks to the expertise of b13’s UX designers and technical solution developers, as well as the flexibility of TYPO3.

A Modernized Digital Presence with TYPO3

TYPO3’s flexibility ensures that the hospital can continue to grow and adapt its digital presence without needing to switch platforms. As a result, UKHD remains a satisfied TYPO3 user, continuing their partnership with b13.

• Centralized data saves time for content editors and ensures hospital information is accurate and consistent across all websites.
• The improved search function allows patients and staff to find information quickly.
• The reskin addressed the hospital’s need for a refresh of their digital design, unifying their brand across 12 websites. b13 is implementing a master site extension to enable UKHD to implement future reskins of their sites easily as their brand naturally evolves.

Key Figures

• 40,000+ pages managed
• 3 languages
• 12 websites
• 1 TYPO3 instance
  • www.medizinische-fakultaet-hd.uni-heidelberg.de
  • www.thoraxklinik-heidelberg.de
  • thorax-international.ukhd.de
  • www.kkh-bergstrasse.de
  • www.heidelberg-university-hospital.com
  • bfw-heidelberg-schlierbach.de
  • www.sammlung-prinzhorn.de
  • www.ich-will-mehr-pflege.de
  • www.cancer-heidelberg.com
  • www.mr-neurographie-nord.de
  • www.mvz-strahlentherapie-weinheim.de
  • www.klinikum.uni-heidelberg.de

Sustained Success Through Thoughtful Design

b13 crafts TYPO3 solutions built to last. By investing in thoughtful design and development, they create sophisticated, maintainable, and extensible systems that serve clients‘ needs for years. Their commitment to building strong, collaborative relationships is reflected in long-term partnerships like the one with UKHD.

UKHD’s digital transformation is ongoing, with b13 continuing to refine and update their websites based on the robust visual design and concepts established at the start of the project. This case demonstrates how TYPO3 supports the complex digital needs of the healthcare sector. For organizations in healthcare and education, managing extensive networks of interconnected websites can be a continuous and daunting task. TYPO3 CMS offers a solid foundation for a scalable, multisite, multilingual web presence.