Insurers offering hospital data to consumers

[Guest guest]

Earlier this week, the Boston Globe published an interesting article

that will be of interest to those who are trying to decide which

hospitals to go to for treatment. The article said that some of

Massachusetts' largest health insurers will allow their customers to

use their Web sites to search for the best-rated hospitals for

specific surgeries and illnesses. Critics say that the insurers'

rankings will not provide information for consumers to make a good

decision.

http://www.boston.com/yourlife/health/other/articles/2004/03/08/online

_rankings_rankle_hospitals/

I'll be interested in checking out the ranking site from my insurance

company once it's available. Based on the comments of one woman in

the article, however, I don't have high hopes for the service. She

chose an obstetrician based on a hospital's rank on a Harvard Pilgrim

Web site. I've heard some good things about the obstetrical care at

the hospital the woman chose, but I've also talked with women who

would never have another baby in that hospital because they were

disappointed in the nursing care that they received. That's the type

of info that a ranking service is unlikely to provide.

Cheryl