Case Study
Altru Health System
Redesigning a Consumer-Focused Digital Experience for a Regional Health System Serving 2.5 Million Annual Visitors
01.
Overview
Altru Health System is a regional health system based in Grand Forks, North Dakota, serving communities across North Dakota and Minnesota. With over 2.5 million annual visitors to Altru Health, the website is a critical gateway for patients, families, employees, healthcare providers, and the broader community.
Alliance Innovations partnered with Altru to redesign and rebuild their public-facing website from the ground up. The project encompassed discovery and digital strategy, UX design, Drupal 10 development, content migration of approximately 1,900 pages, third- party integrations, and a full site launch. The result is a modern, consumer-friendly digital experience built on a scalable platform that empowers Altru's team to manage and grow their online presence independently.
02.
Highlights
- Full website redesign and replatform on Drupal 10 hosted on Pantheon
- Migration of approximately 1,900 pages with a combination of scripted and manual migration
- Consumer-focused UX design with mobile-first, responsive layouts
- Enhanced provider directory with search, profiles, and ratings integration
- Advanced onsite search powered by Solr with predictive search, phonetic matching, and faceted filtering
- Third-party integrations including PressGaney ratings and reviews, Mayo Clinic Health Library, and Google Analytics
- ADA-compliant from launch, meeting WCAG 2.1/2.2 Level AA standards
- CMS component library empowering Altru's content team to build and manage pages independently
03.
The Challenge
Altru Health System's existing website was no longer keeping pace with the organization's growth or the expectations of today's healthcare consumers. The site needed to better showcase Altru's medical services, facilities, community programs, and career opportunities while serving a diverse audience that includes patients, employees, physicians, and regional healthcare partners.
Key challenges included an outdated design that did not reflect Altru's brand, limited content management capabilities that created bottlenecks for the marketing team, and a lack of modern search and provider directory functionality. The site also needed to meet HIPAA regulations and ADA/Section 508 accessibility requirements from day one.
Altru needed a full-service partner with deep healthcare experience who could lead the entire effort: from strategic discovery and UX research through Drupal development, content migration, integrations, and post-launch support. The project had to accommodate the migration of approximately 1,900 existing pages while delivering a significantly improved user experience and empowering Altru's internal team to take ownership of the site going forward.
04.
The Solution
Alliance Innovations led a comprehensive website redesign and development engagement structured around three core phases: Discovery and Strategy, UX Design, and Development and Implementation. The project was executed using an agile methodology with iterative sprint cycles, continuous client feedback, and transparent project management.
Discovery and Strategy
The engagement began with an in-depth discovery phase that included stakeholder interviews, a heuristic evaluation of the existing website, analytics review, competitive analysis, and usability testing. Alliance worked closely with Altru's digital strategy and marketing teams to define clear objectives for the new site, including improving patient acquisition and conversion, supporting diverse audiences, and building a flexible platform for future growth. Business and functional requirements were documented in Confluence to guide the design and development teams.
UX Design and Creative Direction
Alliance delivered a streamlined design refresh that addressed UX issues on the existing site while introducing a modern, consumer-friendly look aligned with Altru's brand guidelines. The design process included wireframing, prototyping in Figma, iterative design testing, and the creation of a comprehensive design system. The approach prioritized mobile-first design, optimized navigation, and clear pathways to key actions like finding a provider, locating a facility, and accessing services.
Drupal 10 Development on Pantheon
Alliance built the new site on Drupal 10, hosted on Pantheon, providing a secure, high-performance, and scalable foundation. The development effort included backend module configuration and custom development, frontend theme development, and the creation of a reusable component library that gives Altru's content editors the tools to build and customize pages without developer involvement. The component library includes common layout elements such as accordions, carousels, alert banners, related provider modules, and blog highlights.
Advanced Search and Provider Directory
Alliance integrated Solr search across the site to deliver enhanced search capabilities including predictive (type-ahead) results, phonetic search that handles misspellings, and faceted filtering by content type. The provider directory features keyword search, specialty filtering, and integrated physician ratings and reviews through PressGaney. Location search includes an interactive map with filtering by location type and specialty.
Third-Party Integrations
The new platform integrates with several critical systems including PressGaney for provider ratings and reviews, the Mayo Clinic Health Library for patient education content, Google Analytics and Tag Manager for measurement, and third-party email subscription services. The site was also built with extensibility in mind, supporting future integrations with platforms like Epic/MyChart, online chat, and virtual assistants.
Content Migration
Alliance managed the migration of approximately 1,900 pages from the existing site. Content with consistent data structures (such as provider profiles, blog posts, and press releases) was migrated via automated scripts, while the remaining content was manually migrated and rebuilt using the new Drupal templates and component library. The team conducted thorough post-migration validation to ensure content accuracy, proper field mapping, and functional integrity.
Accessibility and Compliance
The site was built to meet WCAG 2.1/2.2 Level AA accessibility standards and was ADA compliant from launch. Alliance also followed HIPAA best practices for any areas of the site involving data collection, ensuring proper hosting configuration, encryption, and user access controls were in place.
Training and Empowerment
Alliance provided remote training for Altru's site editors and administrators, along with a comprehensive user guide documenting key CMS capabilities. The goal was to ensure Altru's team could fully manage day-to-day content operations, create new pages using the component library, and maintain the site with confidence.
05.
The Results
Alliance successfully delivered a complete website redesign and replatform for Altru Health System, launching a modern, accessible, and scalable digital experience that serves over 2.5 million annual visitors.
- A fully redesigned, consumer-focused website built on Drupal 10 and hosted on Pantheon
- Approximately 1,900 pages migrated through a combination of automated and manual processes
- An empowered content team with self-service page creation through a reusable component library
- Enhanced provider directory and location search with integrated ratings, reviews, and interactive maps
- Advanced Solr-powered site search with predictive results, phonetic matching, and content filtering
- ADA-compliant and HIPAA-aligned from day one
- A scalable platform built to support future integrations and continued digital growth
The new altru.org reflects Altru's commitment to delivering exceptional care, now matched by a digital experience that makes it easier for patients to find providers, access services, and engage with the health system. The platform positions Altru for continued growth and provides a strong technical foundation for future enhancements.
"Altru's project is a great example of what happens when a health system invests in doing it right. From discovery through launch, we built a platform that doesn't just look great today; it gives their team the tools and flexibility to keep improving the experience for years to come."
- Demetrios Kontizas, CEO, Alliance Innovations
06.
Ready to Reimagine Your Digital Experience?
Healthcare organizations across the country are facing the same challenge: an aging digital presence that no longer reflects the quality of care they deliver. Whether you need a full website redesign, a platform migration, or a strategic partner to help define your digital roadmap, Alliance Innovations brings the healthcare expertise and technical depth to make it happen.
Contact us to discuss how we can help you create a digital experience that drives patient engagement, empowers your team, and supports your organization's growth.
