Northwell Intranet: How Northwell Health Revolutionized Internal Communication with a Mobile-First Strategy

As the largest healthcare provider in New York, Northwell Health faced a monumental challenge: how to keep over 80,000 employees—many of them frontline workers—engaged and informed in real-time. Traditional communication tools like email and print materials were ineffective for a workforce constantly on the move.

The solution? A mobile app that would revolutionize internal communication. This case study explores how the app revolutionized Northwell’s approach, creating a more engaged and informed workforce.

The Challenge: Overcoming Communication Barriers with a Frontline Workforce

As New York’s largest healthcare provider, Northwell Health faces the unique challenge of keeping its 80,000+ employees connected and informed, especially with a vast number of frontline workers. Prior to launching their mobile app, myNorthwell, the company relied on a combination of tools, each with its own set of challenges:

• Email: Though every employee had a Northwell email address, accessing email proved difficult for frontline staff who spend most of their time on their feet, away from computers.
• Employee Intranet: The company recently overhauled its Sharepoint intranet—a massive and expensive undertaking. However, given the complexity of the intranet, with the information and tools not yet mobile-accessible, and sitting behind the organization’s firewall, it was not a one-size-fits-all tool.
• Print: Posters and flyers are hung in the employee common areas at many hospitals and facilities. However, print is not a sustainable model and clutter often becomes the norm. Also, since they tend to be grouped on places like bulletin boards, there is no way to measure their effectiveness or determine who viewed specific messages.

To continue delivering world-class healthcare, Northwell Health knew it needed a more efficient, streamlined, and accessible communication tool—one that would meet the needs of its evolving, mobile-centric workforce.

The Solution: myNorthwell Mobile App

Northwell Health turned the challenge of engaging a diverse workforce into an opportunity for innovation. After an extensive search, the organization selected theEMPLOYEEapp as the foundation for its new mobile-first communications strategy, branded as myNorthwell. 

With the app, Northwell Health created a seamless communication experience that catered to the needs of employees across all functions, particularly those on the front lines. The app allowed the organization to:

• Core mobile offering in employee communications and engagement
• Deliver real-time, mobile-friendly updates, ensuring that all employees had access to vital information regardless of location.
• Customize the app to match Northwell’s brand, integrating it with existing HR and workplace tools, including self-service portals and wellness programs.
• Flexibly include a variety of communications tools and linkage to existing workplace portals, such as the HR self-service portal and the Northwell employee portal.
• Empower employees by consolidating essential resources, tools, and updates in a single platform that was available 24/7 on any mobile device.

Employee-Centered Transformation: A Game-Changer for Northwell

Northwell employees quickly embraced the myNorthwell app. Here’s what they had to say:

“Definitely a huge time-saver to have everything I need in one place and available any time through the app.”

“Innovative thinking combined with common-sense communication for mobile employees. The Northwell employee portal integration makes everything seamless.”

“Great app. I don’t need a PC any longer to access the Northwell intranet or any other tools. I am encouraging everyone to download it.”

The Results: A Workforce Empowered and Engaged through theEMPLOYEEapp

In just three months, Northwell Health saw impressive results with myNorthwell:

• 11,000 employees adopted the app.
• Over 600,000 page views demonstrated active engagement with the platform, showing more interaction than the previous Northwell employee intranet.
• Employees spent an average of 3 minutes per session on the app.
• • Over 93,000 visits to mySelfService through the app
• More than 25,000 visits to new wellness programs indicated widespread adoption.

By shifting its communication strategy to mobile, Northwell Health was able to engage employees more effectively than ever before. The app not only saved time but also provided critical insights through analytics, enabling employees to have seamless access to the Northwell employee intranet allowing for a unified experience across devices.

The enhanced connection to the Northwell intranet helped streamline workflows and improved overall employee communication.

About Northwell Health

Northwell Health is the largest healthcare provider and private employer in New York, serving millions of patients annually across the state. With a network of 21 hospitals, over 450 physician practices, and an extensive array of outpatient facilities, Northwell offers comprehensive healthcare services ranging from primary care to advanced specialty care.

The organization is deeply committed to medical research and education, featuring the prestigious Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, as well as the Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine and the Hofstra Northwell School of Nursing and Physician Assistant Studies. Their innovative approaches to patient care, research, and community wellness have made them a leader in the healthcare industry.

Learn more at northwell.edu.

Interested in learning more about how theEMPLOYEEapp can help strengthen communications at your organization? Schedule an online demo today.