Mayo Clinic said today it is launching a Center for Social Media to create broader and deeper engagement by hospitals, doctors and patients.

"Mayo Clinic believes individuals have the right and responsibility to advocate for their own health, and that it is our responsibility to help them use social media tools to get the best information, connect with providers and with each other, and inspire healthy choices," said Mayo Clinic president and CEO John Noseworthy, M.D.

The Mayo Clinic has partnered with Microsoft to launch a free online tool that allows people to manage their medical information on the Web.

The application called the "Mayo Clinic Health Manager" allows users to organize health information for multiple family members, access information from one location, and proactively manage their health.