Group Classifications

Could you explain each of the group classifications?

You should select a group classification that fits the website that you are entering. In a number of cases, a website could be entered in two different classifications, which requires two separate entries. For example, a large healthcare system might enter its site in Division I as a Healthcare System and Division II as a Consumer General Health Site. A cancer site could be entered under both Healthcare Association/Professional Society in Division II and Consumer Disease-Focused Site in Division II.

Also note, the group classification is generally based on the “purpose” of the site, and not its “sponsor.” For example, a site that supports the membership of an association would be entered under Division II, Healthcare Association/Professional Society. But if that same association entered a site that is focused on educating consumers about a certain disease or medical condition, the site would be entered under Division II, Consumer Disease-Focused Site.

If you believe your entry qualifies under more than one Group Classification, submit an additional entry for each additional Group you believe to be appropriate. (The form will accept only one Group Classification at a time.)

Below are descriptions of each classification. Please be aware that the Awards Committee will make its best effort to ensure that every entry is entered in an appropriate classification. If it is believed that an organization’s site is misclassified, the site will be switched to the appropriate classification and the organization will be contacted and advised where its site is being placed.

Division I

Hospital under 200 beds, 200-399 beds, 400+ beds: Website for an organization with a certain number of staffed beds.

Healthcare System: This conforms to how the organization views itself. Generally, it is a site for an organization with multiple hospitals and/or other healthcare facilities.

Hospital Subsite/Center of Excellence: Website is part of a larger website or is a standalone/separate site that focuses on a special service or subject area. Examples include sites for heart services/hospital, women’s services, cancer care.

Medical Practice/Clinic/Outpatient Facility: Site for an organization that provides physician services, urgent care, and other outpatient medical services. Also covers dental offices.

Senior Care Organization: Site for an organization that operates a skilled nursing, long-term care, assisted living or hospice facility. Also covers home health care organizations.

Other Healthcare Facilities: Sites for such organizations as rehabilitation facilities, psychiatric facilities, behavioral health facilities, etc. Also long-term care, home care agencies, etc., that don’t define themselves as Senior Care organizations.

Division II

Healthcare Association/Professional Society: Sites for membership organizations, governmental agencies, nonprofit health-promotion organizations.

HMO/PPO/Other Insurers: Websites where a significant part of the site focuses on meeting the needs of members or target audiences. If the site mainly focuses on supplying healthcare content, it should be classified in Division II under either Consumer General Health Site or Consumer Disease-Focused Site. Also includes sites for Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs).

Consumer General Health Site: Sites that are primarily focused on general health or broad healthcare issues.

Consumer Disease-Focused Site: Sites that are focused on a specific disease, illness, or condition.

Physician/Clinician-Focused Site: Sites that target a medical or other healthcare professional audience.

Pharmaceutical or Medical Equipment Manufacturer: Sites where the sponsorship from pharmaceutical or medical equipment companies is very obvious. These sites can target medical professionals, consumers, corporate investors, or a combination of any of these groups. If the sponsorship from these companies is subtle, the site would be classified in Consumer General, Consumer Disease, or Physician/Clinician classifications.

Fundraising Site: Includes hospital foundation sites, disease/health condition sites, health-cause sites, and any other fundraising initiative related to health or healthcare.

Business/Process Improvement Applications or Products: These initiatives or programs focus on enhancing an organization’s website, such as health content or interactivity functions, or web-based products used to enhance the business processes within an organization. Submission here involves access to demonstrations of the product.

This classification is open to organizations in either division. For example, a hospital or health system, which is in Division I, may have a web-based application that improves the organization’s efficiency. Or a vendor may have a product that is used to improve a website’s functionality, enhance the operations of a healthcare organization, or have a health-related application. In all these situations, the entry should go in this classification.

Agency/Corporate Vendor Site: These sites promote the services and products of companies that support and serve the healthcare industry.

Other Healthcare Sites (special site sections): Sites or sections of sites or initiatives that do not seem to fit in any other classification. A wide range of sites can fall in this classification. Judges evaluate these sites based on the purpose of the site.


How many award categories should an organization enter?

An organization should enter as many award categories as it believes it has a reasonably good chance of doing well in. This approach increases the chances of winning an award for two reasons. First, entries in some award categories are very competitive, so that even an excellent site may not win an award because other sites are rated just slightly higher by judges. Second, organizations often miscalculate how good their site really is in some award categories, thinking it is just good when it is, in fact, very good or excellent.


Submission Requirements

What is the date range for entry eligibility?

Any project that is active between January 2022 and August 2023 can be entered in the 2023 awards program.

What if my site will not be ready for review until after the entry deadline?

That is not a problem. Judging does not begin until the very end of July/beginning of August. If a site is not ready when the entry is submitted, just notify us and we will arrange to have the site judged late in the evaluation process.

What are supplemental materials, and when are they due?

Supplemental materials are helpful, though not required, for all entries. They are required for Special Categories. Supplemental materials are any narrative write-up, results data or description, or any other content you can provide that will help judges understand why your entry is worthy of winning an award.

Supplemental materials should be uploaded via the Award Portal. Look for the link next to each individual entry on your dashboard (after logging in to the Award Portal).

Supplemental materials are due by July 21, 2023. You do not need to upload them at the same time that you submit your entry form. If you are up against a deadline, you can submit your entry, and know that you have additional time to upload your supplemental materials. You can view more information about supplemental materials here.

What type of information is required for the Best Marketing Campaign?

Copies of offline media, such as print ads (magazines, newspapers, newsletters), television commercials, radio ads, billboards, and direct mail, should be submitted in electronic form via the entrant portal. For online and electronic element support of the campaigns, upload documents that include links to the promotions or provide an electronic copy. When possible, provide media plans and any results.

What type of information is required for the Mark Gothberg eHealthcare Organizational Commitment entry?

Entrants in this category are required to enter 4 or more other categories to be considered for the eHealthcare Organizational Commitment award.

Organizations should also submit 1-3 pages or more supporting their entry. This document can be supplied in bullet format. The focus of this award will be on the business and health promotion uses of the internet and technology, not clinical aspects.

The following questions should be covered:

Management Focus: Is there a head of e-health? How many and what type of people are in the group, and who do they report to (CEO, COO, EVP)? Is there an e-health governance/oversight group? What senior-level individuals are part of this group? Is e-health part of each department’s or area’s business strategy? Is there a commitment to use the Internet and technology to achieve the organization’s business objectives?

Financial Commitment: What budget is there for e-health? Total budget amount, total spend as percentage of capital budget, operating budget, IT budget, and/or marketing budget?

Achievements to Date: What has actually been achieved on the internet, intranet, extranet?

Do I have to indicate the name of the agency that developed the website?

That is not required. However, agencies do appreciate the recognition, especially in cases in which they had a substantial role in the development of the site.


Announcement of Winners

When will I find out if our site or initiative won an award?

Early October. It takes roughly two months to organize entries, distribute material to the judges, conduct the judging, compile the judges’ evaluations, determine the various Award levels, and then notify winners.

Do we have to attend the Healthcare Internet Conference in November to receive our award(s)?

No. If you cannot attend Greystone.net’s HCIC, all forms of Award recognition will be sent to you following the end of the conference. We encourage Award winners to attend the conference because of the recognition they will receive during a special Awards presentation, which will also cover the current state of e-health development and outlook for the coming year. Also, the conference is an excellent opportunity for all those who entered the Awards to attend many valuable presentations on e-health and to network.

For an agency submission, is it possible to have the Awards certificate name both the website organization and the agency?

Certificates are printed exactly as entered on the entry form. If you indicate on the entry form that both names should be included, we will attempt to do so. Space issues on the certificate may cause the combined name to be truncated. Winners can order duplicate certificates for a fee after all the winners are announced. At that time, the duplicate certificate(s) can be tailored to include whatever version or format of names you wish and to correct problems with printing.


Miscellaneous Issues

How can I see who won an Award in last year’s program?

The 2022 eHealthcare Leadership Award winners can be viewed here.