Resources of the world-renowned Cleveland Clinic Heart Center is available now via a new, comprehensive Internet site. The Cleveland Clinic Heart Center Web site is designed to be a one-stop information center for patients, families and medical professionals from around the globe.

Bruce L. Wilkoff, who oversaw the Internet project said that the site incorporates suggestions from a focus group of patients and health care professionals. People wanted a site with accurate, up-to-date information, with powerful search capabilities, and with answers to cardiac care questions ranging from the most basic to the most complex. This site meets all of those needs.

The new Internet site is available at www.clevelandclinic.org/heartcenter

The Heart Center Web site reinforces the Cleveland Clinic's commitment to providing top-quality cardiac care, says Eric J. Topol, chairman of the Department of Cardiology. "This project is one more example of our mission not only to care for heart patients, but also to help educate people so that they can take better care of themselves," says Topol, who serves as the Clinic's chief academic officer.

One specialised feature of the new site is its "Personal Folder" capability. This feature allows Web site visitors to create their own online folders in which to store relevant cardiac care information.

Other features of the new Cleveland Clinic Heart Center Web site include:

A comprehensive "Heart Guide," which provides basic heart information as well as detailed explanations of current cardiac tests and treatments;

A cardiac care definitions list, which provides easy-to-understand explanations of frequently used medical terms;

A "History of Innovations" section, which outlines the groundbreaking treatment and research that make the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center the nation's top cardiac care hospital, according to the Best Hospitals rankings published annually by U.S. News & World Report;

A "Medications Search," which explains the uses, benefits and possible side effects of many cardiac care medications;

A searchable Cleveland Clinic physician directory, which provides biographies and links to each doctor's published research papers.

"The Internet continues to grow in importance as a source of health care information," says Delos M. Cosgrove, chairman of the Clinic's Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. "The Cleveland Clinic Heart Center is launching this new Web site to ensure that people everywhere have access to timely and accurate cardiac care information. All information is reviewed by Clinic doctors before it is included on the site."

The Cleveland Clinic Heart Center's Web site was built using "associated database" technology to ensure leading-edge functionality. The site's technical features were provided by Cleveland-based Fathom Interactive Solutions L.L.C.