Automated framework for comprehensive usability analysis of healthcare websites using web parsing

Abstract In the digital age, hospital websites are essential for providing healthcare information and services. This research introduces an automated tool, WUAHP, created in Python utilizing BeautifulSoup for HTML parsing. This facilitates the extraction of structural and content-based components es...

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Main Authors: Amandeep Kaur, Jaswinder Singh, Satinder Kaur
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Nature Portfolio 2025-07-01
Series:Scientific Reports
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07271-4
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author Amandeep Kaur
Jaswinder Singh
Satinder Kaur
author_facet Amandeep Kaur
Jaswinder Singh
Satinder Kaur
author_sort Amandeep Kaur
collection DOAJ
description Abstract In the digital age, hospital websites are essential for providing healthcare information and services. This research introduces an automated tool, WUAHP, created in Python utilizing BeautifulSoup for HTML parsing. This facilitates the extraction of structural and content-based components essential for usability assessment. It assesses websites based on five principal criteria: Navigational efficiency, operational efficiency, accessibility, responsiveness & compatibility, and security—each subdivided into many sub-criteria. Each measure is evaluated on a scale from 0 (least desirable) to 1 (most ideal) utilizing normalized modules. The entropy weighting method is utilized to impartially allocate weights according to data variability. Usability scores are subsequently confirmed via user feedback and aligned with Nielsen’s heuristic usability standards. The tool was utilized on fifty healthcare websites. The results indicated significant variability, with HW9 attaining the greatest usability score of 97% and HW39 the lowest at 12%. The ultimate usability scores varied from 12 to 97%, underscoring disparities in design efficacy. WUAHP provides web developers and healthcare providers with an effective method to assess and enhance website usability. The technology establishes a basis for future applications in training machine learning models for automated, large-scale website assessment.
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spelling doaj-art-e021fd2b768c43ce92bb7c049d6da9012025-08-20T04:01:35ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115112110.1038/s41598-025-07271-4Automated framework for comprehensive usability analysis of healthcare websites using web parsingAmandeep Kaur0Jaswinder Singh1Satinder Kaur2Department of Computer Science, Guru Nanak Dev UniversityDepartment of Computer Science, Guru Nanak Dev UniversityDepartment of Computer Engineering and Technology, Guru Nanak Dev UniversityAbstract In the digital age, hospital websites are essential for providing healthcare information and services. This research introduces an automated tool, WUAHP, created in Python utilizing BeautifulSoup for HTML parsing. This facilitates the extraction of structural and content-based components essential for usability assessment. It assesses websites based on five principal criteria: Navigational efficiency, operational efficiency, accessibility, responsiveness & compatibility, and security—each subdivided into many sub-criteria. Each measure is evaluated on a scale from 0 (least desirable) to 1 (most ideal) utilizing normalized modules. The entropy weighting method is utilized to impartially allocate weights according to data variability. Usability scores are subsequently confirmed via user feedback and aligned with Nielsen’s heuristic usability standards. The tool was utilized on fifty healthcare websites. The results indicated significant variability, with HW9 attaining the greatest usability score of 97% and HW39 the lowest at 12%. The ultimate usability scores varied from 12 to 97%, underscoring disparities in design efficacy. WUAHP provides web developers and healthcare providers with an effective method to assess and enhance website usability. The technology establishes a basis for future applications in training machine learning models for automated, large-scale website assessment.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07271-4AestheticsWebsite evaluationUsabilityWeb engineeringBeautifulSoupHealthcare websites
spellingShingle Amandeep Kaur
Jaswinder Singh
Satinder Kaur
Automated framework for comprehensive usability analysis of healthcare websites using web parsing
Scientific Reports
Aesthetics
Website evaluation
Usability
Web engineering
BeautifulSoup
Healthcare websites
title Automated framework for comprehensive usability analysis of healthcare websites using web parsing
title_full Automated framework for comprehensive usability analysis of healthcare websites using web parsing
title_fullStr Automated framework for comprehensive usability analysis of healthcare websites using web parsing
title_full_unstemmed Automated framework for comprehensive usability analysis of healthcare websites using web parsing
title_short Automated framework for comprehensive usability analysis of healthcare websites using web parsing
title_sort automated framework for comprehensive usability analysis of healthcare websites using web parsing
topic Aesthetics
Website evaluation
Usability
Web engineering
BeautifulSoup
Healthcare websites
url https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07271-4
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