University of Virginia Health System

U.VA.'S CARDIOVILLAGE WEBSITE WINS NATIONAL AWARD

CardioVillage, an educational, peer-reviewed Internet resource devoted to cardiovascular medicine which was launched by the University of Virginia Health System in 1999, has won a Silver Award (third place) for Best Overall Internet Site from eHealthcare Strategy and Trends, a leading Internet publication and online resource.

Over 700 entries were received from a wide range of healthcare organizations, online health companies, pharmaceutical firms and business improvement/vendor sites. Criteria used by the panel of judges included delivery of strong health content, interactivity, medical care support, integration with the organization's operations, strength of Web design and ease of navigation.

CardioVillage, http://www.cardiovillage.com, is sponsored by the U.Va. Office of Continuing Medical Education (CME) and includes a wide selection of case-based learning programs for which physicians can earn CME credit. The site provides continuous access to the latest journal summaries and treatment guidelines, as well as teaching tools and expert commentaries on all areas of cardiovascular medicine. Initial content for the site was developed by U.Va. physicians and a physician editorial board approves all content.

This project is really quite unique, said Jann Balmer, director of CME at the U.Va. Health System. CardioVillage provides several educational formats that are highly relevant to cardiovascular practice and help physicians relate the latest advances in cardiovascular care to their patients. The images and interactivity are key features in the learning process and the case studies provide an excellent context for physician learning.

According to Balmer, this type of education is particularly important in light of the activities of the last 10 weeks. The attendance at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Anaheim, Calif. this week was down by almost one-third due to the reluctance of people to travel. In addition, more than 40 states now have requirements for CME as part of the re-licensure for the state medical license.

Though medical professionals are the primary audience, CardioVillage is accessible to the general public. The site also can be used as a learning tool for medical students and residents who want to study the latest medical literature and become familiar with the sounds and images of cardiovascular medicine.

The top award or Platinum Award went to Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA) for their site, medicare.gov, and the second place award or Gold Award went to A.D.A.M., a developer of interactive health and medical information, for their site adam.com.

November 19, 2001