Biz Beat: Barton offers a one-stop online health-care shop

Barton HealthCare System has unleashed a new service to create more convenience in health-care shopping: Tahoe’s Medical Marketplace.

Before, residents had to drive off the hill to try to find certain items for their health-care needs, but now they can do it without filling up the gas tank.

The online marketplace has more than 250,000 name-brand items. The inventory is easily categorized so customers can find what they’re looking for. The categories cover needs such as Mom & Baby, Nutrition, Orthopedics & Rehab, Diabetes, Cardiology, Health & Wellness, Oncology, Weight Loss and more.

Ten percent of the proceeds from the marketplace site will go back into supporting the hospital.

“The Barton HealthCare System has been working with a health-care retail consulting firm for 15 months to create a robust retail option for guests, and it has finally come to fruition,” said John Williams, CEO of the Barton HealthCare System.

If you don’t have a computer, Barton has five kiosks to order items from. All items ordered will be delivered right to your doorstep.

For more information, check out www.bartonhealth.org.

Ski resorts launch new Web sites

Alpine Meadows and Homewood Mountain resorts have launched new Web sites, officials announced.

In addition to a visual presentation intended to communicate the atmosphere of the individual mountains, the new sites incorporate progressive Web media and online commerce capabilities, according to a statement.

The new Web sites are a substantial portion of ongoing investments by parent company JMA Ventures.

“The objectives of Alpine and Homewood’s new Web sites are to visually reflect each mountain’s individuality; provide mountain updates instantly; host authentic interaction between guests and mountain representatives; and serve as a center of commerce which maintains the pace of guests’ needs,” said Deanna Gescheider, director of marketing and sales for JMA Sierra Ventures LLC.

“The content-management system and multimedia platforms utilized in the sites are strategic in that ultimately, a guest’s experience is easier before arriving at the mountain,” she added.

Interacting with new audiences outside traditional channels also holds a strong presence on the new sites. By providing access to multimedia galleries such as YouTube, Facebook, Flickr and Twitter, SkiAlpine.com and SkiHomewood.com will display instant, authentic content provided by guests and mountain employees, she said.

Progressive Web-based technology is matched by new aesthetics.

“The new sites for Alpine and Homewood fortify brand recognition,” Gescheider said. “The look, feel and navigational layout of the sites depict the resorts’ individual character and identity.”

— Have information on your business that you’d like to share? Contact reporter Sara Thompson at (530) 542-8009 or sthompson@tahoedailytribune.com.