Health World Web (HWW) was founded in 2006 by a diverse group that includes doctors, lawyers, and web professionals.

We had a vision of expanding the traditional doctor search by name, location and specialty by offering more search options, social tags, and potentially community referrals. We looked at a healthcare provider's education and training, his or her board certifications and whether the individual had any disciplinary action taken against him or her. And we allowed users to add their own opinions and ratings.

Even as we established the site, the web was changing. Static web pages were being replaced by user-oriented communities that allowed each individual to structure how he or she received information. Our users were already adding to our site so we saw social networking as the next logical step.

In its new incarnation, Health World Web allows users to create communities to include or exclude anyone they want. They can reach out to people by gender, sexual orientation, ethnic background and geographic location, whatever their preference. They can use Healthmarks, our social bookmarking service, to tag and share health-related news stories. They can blog, rant or rave in our forums, or write reviews about healthcare providers. We provide the interface, our users do the rest.

Unlike some other health-related websites, Health World Web is not a front for a health insurance company. We are an independent group of professionals not affiliated with or representative of any company or agency. We do not sell or endorse any services or products.