Evaluating a Website of Mayo Clinic for Credibility - Coursework Example

Evaluating a Website of Mayo Clinic for Credibility Mayoclinic.org is the official website of Mayo Clinic, a hospital and research and development (R&D) facility devoted to develop new processes and systems to cure rare diseases and lifelong medical conditions. Mayo Clinic is present in three states: Scottsdale and Phoenix, Arizona; Jacksonville, Florida; Rochester, Minnesota. Authority of the Site The fundamental advantage of mayoclinic.org over other health website is the credibility that its legacy inherently possesses. Mayo Clinic is known for diagnosis and treatment of diseases even the best hospital of some of the most progressive countries can’t treat. Further, it is known for its collaborative strategy by either lending its research department to other specialists from different countries. Outside of the research and collaboration with other institutions, Mayo Clinic also allots 40 percent of its own resources to research instead of medical practice as customary to other hospitals. This openness is motivated by the institution’s commitment to prioritize patients’ welfare and medical advancement. Its efficiency and reputation is carried on to its website. All of its contents are written by resident specialists or guest specialists that are certified to practice their profession. However, even with the personal credentials, content contributors refer to certified research whenever possible. Site Objectives The site serves two purposes. First, it is a business platform as it allows patients and other possible partners to look for specialists, discover studies and researches being pursued by mayoclinic. It also aims to educate the mass market by publishing, through its newsroom, articles by affiliate doctors and specialists. It also links to different researches that are internationally accepted. Topics cover anything from cancer research progress to diet and nutrition. The site has four major target markets: (1) Patients, (2) Doctors, (3) Medical Practitioners, and (4) Academe and researchers. Contents for each section are written by employees/practitioners of Mayo Clinic and approved by the same people who run the clinic. Each market segment is allotted their own section which makes navigation easier and efficient. Content Providers Mayo Clinic contents come from different doctors, research institutions, and other kinds of medical practitioner. Published articles range from simple diet tips to maximize the health benefits of different food groups to breakthrough genetic research. Each article is written by authorities in the field. Most often, medical related articles are authored by resident doctors. Their contents are also continued, duplicated or expounded on Mayo Clinic’s monthly newsletter providing a more reliable and qualified reference. They also publish simplified versions of new researches and finding. Quality of Contents Opinions and Substantiations Mayo Clinic articles are always, at the very least, written by certified doctors or practioners in various medical fields. The author is always someone considered qualified to talk about the subject at hand. The contents are written with the same efficiency and dignity as its medical practice. Each recommendation is properly supported and balanced. The voice and opinion of the authors, however, are not compromised. Like many disciplines, medical recommendations are also dependent on a doctor’s opinion. For example, two doctors might differ on what diet to recommend a certain patient. Some doctors recommend raw food diet while others believe a balance of fiber and protein is better. Occurrences like this happen on the site and it is expected. Like any professionally written articles, all claims are properly substantiated. Maintenance Mayo Clinic is one of the well maintained websites. Links work and dated information are not taken down but it has a clear tag that indicates it is an old information but are kept online as a reference. Although ordinary websites might serve it better to take down old contents, the medical fields benefits for keeping old information as future research make use of insights from old published research and articles. Layout and Functions There are also simple galleries that arrange information according to date, subject and authors. There is also a search function that provides results according to different categories. Referencing Mayo Clinic publishes research and other public medical documents are always written with full compliance to academic and medical standards. This includes references, data from sources that are accepted internationally, and authors that are certified in their own field. Aside from this, there is an inherent credibility that is lent by the name of Mayo Clinic. Other contents are scholarly research or researches that are formally supported to further knowledge different medically-related subjects like genetics, cardiology, and others. These researches are naturally available as a printed material first and foremost. However, the validity of the contents even go beyond that. These publications and researchers are internationally accepted and are actually used by different institutions to develop new technologies and processes on the medical field. Some of the publications that appear on mayoclinic.org are also printed on scholarly and research based websites such as pubmed.gov and university websites. Pubmed is a bibliography of researches that are sanctioned or financed/supported by established institutions. It does not publish the studies in full but provides abstracts and sample pages. Such references are the highest kind research and publications. These are the researches that are used for R&D of products and technologies or, at the very least, for further R&D. Site Finances The site is .org which indicates it is a non-profit site. There are no ads. There is no way to donate to the site. Any donation to Mayo Clinic itself will have to be handed directly to Mayo Clinic through traditional means. When it publishes research from external sources, it links to the source of the site, such as pubmed.gov. Web sites serve different purposes. There are reliable and unreliable Web sites in most categories of Web sites. A personal Web site, which expresses the interests and biases of its author, is a legitimate use of a Web site, as long as the Web site owner is up front about his or her identity. Like any other source, the authority of the author helps determine the value of the information. Be wary of sites which publish information without letting you know if the information is a personal viewpoint. If the information is not a personal viewpoint, does the author tell you the original source? Is the original source credible? Web sites can masquerade as one type but may have a hidden agenda. Any group can give itself an official sounding name or logo. Read More