Rye, NY, May 14 "The eHealthcare Leadership Awards program, which drew more than 1,100 entries last year, recognizes the best Web sites of healthcare organizations, online companies, pharmaceutical/medical equipment firms, corporate suppliers, and business improvement initiatives. The program is presented by eHealthcare Strategy & Trends."

"This is an exciting time for the Awards program,” says Mark Gothberg, Awards chairman and editor of eHealthcare Strategy & Trends. “Many organizations have made significant improvements in their sites, focusing on key revenue and cost-savings centers that affect patient satisfaction and safety, physician and employee effectiveness, and quality communications. Web 2.0 is also changing the landscape of how sites look and how health content is presented."�

The 2008 program features 12 award categories Best Site Design, Best Health/Healthcare Content, Best Interactive, Best Care/Disease Management, Best e-Business, Best Employee Recruitment, Best Newsroom, Best Web 2.0, Best Quality Communication, Best Overall Internet Site, Best Intranet Site, and eHealth Organizational Commitment.

Organizations enter under one of 17 classifications so that they compete only against others of comparable type, size, and resources. Platinum, gold, silver, and distinction awards may be given in every classification for each award category. An independent panel of individuals familiar with healthcare and the Internet evaluates entries.

Winners will be honored during the Twelfth Annual Healthcare Internet Conference, November 10 - 12, in Orlando.

Major supporters of the Awards are Blausen Medical Communications, a Houston-based supplier of medical animation and graphics; Coffey Communications, a Walla, Walla, WA-based provider of print and online healthcare content; CareTech Solutions, a Troy, MI-based supplier of turnkey products to reduce cost and improve efficiency; Element115.net, an information technology solutions company in Chicago; IGCN, an Easton, PA, firm that offers content management and interactive disease management products; Atlanta-based PhotoBooks, which provides physician directories and custom Web sites; Private Health News, a Cincinnati-based supplier of e-health newsletters and CRM tools; Professional Research Consultants, a market and customer research firm based in Omaha, NE; and StayWell Custom Communications, an Evanston, IL-based supplier of custom Web solutions and print publications.

The Awards are also sponsored by Acsys Healthcare, Farmington, CT; Creative Change, Glastonbury, CT; MedSeek, Birmingham, AL; MedTouch, Cambridge, MA; and Monigle Associates, Denver.

Published by Rye, NY-based Health Care Communications, eHealthcare Strategy & Trends is a leading publication for Internet knowledge and management. Its sister publication, Strategic Health Care Marketing, has served the healthcare industry since 1984.

Organizations can enter at www.strategichealthcare.com/awards or call 914/967-6741 to obtain an entry form. Entry deadline is June 30. Design, strategy, and PR firms may enter on behalf of clients.