Three independent judging panels have recently given the MayoClinic.com health information Web site high marks for innovation, content and ease of navigation.

MayoClinic.com was one of six recipients of the first-ever Kanter Award, which was presented last month at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The award, which is sponsored by the Kanter Family Foundation, honors exemplary journalistic work that fosters knowledge about the benefits of collecting and standardizing data on health outcomes, so patients and their doctors can use scientific, evidence-based information to guide their treatment.

"MayoClinic.com's Health Decision Guides help users make more informed treatment decisions in the gray areas of medicine," says Nicole Spelhaug, editor-in-chief of MayoClinic.com. "Whether it's middle ear infections, early-stage breast cancer or knee injuries no single approach is best for everyone. These guides help people understand the tradeoffs involved with each treatment option so they can feel more confident that they have thoroughly examined their alternatives. We are particularly pleased the Kanter Foundation has recognized the value this will provide to users."

MayoClinic.com took two Gold Awards in the 2001 eHealthcare Leadership Awards presented during the Sixth Annual Healthcare Internet and Technology Conference. This conference is the leading educational conference on Internet strategies and solutions for health care marketers and business strategists. More than 700 sites were entered in the competition, and MayoClinic.com was named a Gold Award winner in the Best Overall Site and Best Health/Healthcare content categories.

MayoClinic.com was recognized this month by the Web Marketing Association (WMA), a Boston-based organization made up of Internet marketing, advertising, PR and design professionals from around the country. Its Web Awards were established in 1997 to help set a high standard for Internet marketing and corporate Web development on the World Wide Web. WMA judges praised MayoClinic.com's Healthy Lifestyle Planners, Health Decision Guides and Personal Health Scorecard as "very informative tools" and said the site's user-friendly navigation "follows all of the same goals that we try to achieve."

"Mayo Clinic is committed to providing reliable, up-to-date information on the Web for health-conscious consumers and business partners," says Brooks Edwards, M.D., medical editor-in-chief of MayoClinic.com. "It's gratifying to see the efforts of our whole team -- editorial staff, contributing physicians and technical staff -- affirmed not only through growth in site traffic, but also by these awards."

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