Evaluating Providers via THE INTERNET.

• Position: Brief Article

Respondents spoke loud and clear in a recent Yankelovich Partners survey about their desire for access to information concerning the performance of their health care providers. "This confirms that an enormous vacuum has existed in the information available to help consumers make informed decisions about who they choose to provide their health care," suggests Kerry Hicks, CEO of HealthGrades.com, an Internet service that rates U.S. hospitals, physicians, health plans, and HMOs.

Ninety-six percent believe they have a right to know how their doctor, hospital, or health plan performs compared to other providers, but most did not feel they have access to this information. Very little objective information has been available to help consumers evaluate health care providers in the past, and what was available was often difficult to understand and even tougher to use as a basis for comparison.

Although 32% had ever researched a health topic on the Internet and just five percent had ever utilized it to look up information on a specific doctor, 77% said they would use this rating information if they had access to the Internet. Equal percentages (77%) of men and women are likely to use it, and interest is high at all age groups, including those over 65. Even though a mere seven percent over 65 had ever utilized the Internet to research any health topic, 46% said they would be likely to use such a site.

Other findings from the survey showed that:

* People are willing to travel long distances for superior care. If no top-ranked doctor or hospital were available locally, 62% of respondents would travel more than 100 miles (the farthest distance offered as a response) for treatment for a serious disease or illness. Eighty-two percent would travel more than 25 miles.

* Despite a growing number of adults "sandwiched" between caring for their children and their parents simultaneously, just eight percent make decisions about their parents' health care providers. Those who do more involved with selecting a doctor (six percent) than the choice of hospital (four percent), health plan (four percent), or dentist (three percent).

* Women are more...