Aetna Inc. announced that it has launched a new website, SmartSource, a health care search engine which processes data such as gender, age, ZIP code, employer, health care plan and information from the customer's personal health records. (File Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BEIJING, March 13(Xinhuanet) -- Aetna Inc. announced that it has launched a new website, SmartSource, a health care search engine which processes data such as gender, age, ZIP code, employer, health care plan and information from the customer's personal health records.

    It outputs information through a visual map about diseases and medical conditions, treatments, health care costs and local health care providers, the Hartford, Connecticut-based company said Wednesday.

    "Aetna is focused on becoming an industry leader in delivering personalized health information to members," said Meg McCabe, Aetna's vice president of medical and eHealth product, in a statement.

    "Aetna SmartSource pulls information from a variety of Aetna web resources to intelligently organize search results based on a member's insurance plan, zip code, and overall health, thereby helping members to become more engaged in their health care decisions."

    The search engine uses technology developed by Healthline Networks Inc., which parses searches and connects terms for symptoms, diagnoses and treatments together.

    "Aetna SmartSource is a ground-breaking application because it can use information stored in a personal health record and health plan to qualify the information the member is looking for, thereby ensuring more relevant and useful results for members," said West Shell III, chairman & CEO of Healthline Networks.

    Aetna said that the new technology is only available to its own 35,000 employees but that it will pilot Aetna SmartSource with several large, pre-selected customers throughout 2008.

    (Agencies)