Compare Hospitals Online

Posted by Lisa Nichols Jun 23, 2008

Consumer Reports recently introduced a new tool for comparing hospitals online. The tool lets website members review hospitals for information about price and quality of care. According to a Consumer Reports blog about the healthcare area of the website, they will soon introduce an online rating tool that measures physicians’ care.

A friend of mine in the healthcare industry told me she found a website that lists exactly how much doctors get paid by various pharmaceutical companies. Physicians get kickbacks for providing patients with meds from various companies. My friend found doctors that she knew who were making well over $100,000 annually from certain drug companies.

It’s not an illegal practice. In fact, it’s practically a tradition, and most likely something that many physicians factor into their total salary. Professional athletes wear logos, doctors provide samples and prescriptions for certain drugs… It’s just part of the marketing wheel.

Still, I can’t wait to read the Consumer Reports criteria for judging doctors. It promises to be interesting, if not out and out controversial.