Custom Web Application
The Challenge
Ontario Health atHome (formerly HCCSS Ontario) desired to improve the user experience on their existing website which was a series of antiquated SharePoint pages. The key pain points addressed were modernization of look, user experience to quickly find important health care related information, AODA compliance, and the ease of maintaining content efficiently to quickly execute information updates to Ministry standards and support media releases.
Visit the live site here
Goals
- Modern look and navigation to support end users (caregivers and patients alike).
- Use an open-source CMS (Content Management System) – specifically WordPress.
- Meet mandatory AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) web accessibility.
- Furnish a team-manageable Document Library for over 3000 PDFs within the CMS.
- Support advanced search including inside PDF- and DOC-type files.
- Create a “Find My Region” component that locates nearest offices based on postal code lookups.
- Easily editable content and custom informational blocks of different types to effectively convey information.
- Provide 14 micro-style sites for each geographic region with localized files, documents and contacts.
- Customized interactive maps for regional bounds, career opportunities and Long-term Care wait times.
- Incorporate multi-lingual support for all pages to accept custom translations to French.
Our Solution
We created a fresh, clean, and simplified look that balanced the needs of end-users, provided a modern experience in both handheld and desktop devices, while meeting the government of Ontario design standards. Website accessibility (AODA compliance) was paramount from the start, as was site availability and speed.
WordPress was deployed to run on Microsoft Azure in coordination with the Ontario Health server pool. This involved developing custom scripts to enable the site to scale efficiently, accommodating high traffic loads both vertically and horizontally. Instances of several hundred visitors per minute were common, especially during business hours.
A robust document library for WordPress was deployed and customized to serve a bilingual populace while also providing advanced search and filtering options to drill-down to the current and most relevant documents based on a user’s search criteria. Equally important was the ability for the team to administer and maintain that same library from the administrative backend, accomplished with a straight-forward content index.
Regional positioning was achieved through a combination of custom database enhancements that leverage Canada Post data for accurate postal code matching services. This allows for an end-user to enter their home postal code and discover the service provider and HCCSS offices nearest to them. This is further supported by a simple interactive map as well as linkages to the proper, dedicated regional geography page.
The most recent iteration of on-site tools was to create a solution for Long Term Care Wait Times which, when released in 2024, will include searchable data tables and harnesses the power of the Google Maps and Google Places Application Program Interfaces (API) to show admittance wait times for homes across Ontario.
Key Features
- Bespoke theme
- Highly searchable including PDFs
- Filterable Document Library
- Interactive maps and data tables
- Custom postal code look-up tool
- AODA and government of Ontario compliance
Implementation
- Wireframe the end-user experience (UX) and redesigned the logic flow.
- Work with stakeholders and regional offices to refine the site flow and develop presentation standards.
- Create hi-fidelity wireframes to refined protypes for testing.
- Install and harden WordPress for improved security.
- Code, develop WordPress custom theme.
- Identify, research, and recommend well-supported professional extensions for advanced functionality.
- Test on staging server and iterate refinements to final approval for production.
- Obtain required licensing and work with client to create required accounts and profiles for each.
- Create custom scripted solution for Azure DevOps in conjunction with Ontario Health
- Launch website to live production (containerized WordPress within Azure environment).
- Train staff on update and support process.
- Provide escalation support when needed or for moderate feature changes/adaptations.
Key Metrics
- Improved ability to self-manage the website both in content and security posture.
- Delivered a robust solution to a growing issue around document storage, cataloging and presentation.
- Improved user experience through a faster, accessible front-end presentation, and appropriate design.
- Provided ability to offer full translation of the site within the same CMS without need for a second site.
Achievements
- Developed modern looking website that is more easily maintained and edited.
- Improved UX and UI (User Interface) to end-users.
- Delivered improved Search Engine Optimization (SEO) support and realizations.
- Achieved desired search patterns including complex document searching (inside PDF files).
- Exceeded legal requirements for website accessibility compliance (AODA) via WCAG 2.1 AA.
- Ensured compliance with government mandated security processes and development standards.
- Worked with an extensive team of professionals with varied backgrounds across many disciplines.
Technologies Deployed
Last Updated: June 25, 2025