In th U.K, plans have been announced for the creation of Web site, a joint venture between the National Health Service and the private sector, that will provide hospital information to help patients choose where to receive treatment. As reported in iHealth Beat, the Web site which is set to launch this summer, will enable patients in England to compare hospitals’ waiting times, cleanliness and readmission rates. It also will include multimedia guides on the 40 most common medical procedures and material to help patients manage 20 chronic health conditions, such as asthma and diabetes. Patients will also be able to post feedback about their hospital experiences on the site.
In September 2005, another U.K. Web Site, Patient Opinion, was launched, that allows patients to post online reviews of treatment and view comments by other patients. The Web site helps hospital staff gain an understanding of how patients react to their services, and nearly 1,500 patients have posted comments since its launch.
Read full news items:
British Hospital Web Site To Help Patients Choose Hospitals”, iHealthBeat.org, 04/11/2007
U.K. Web Site Lets Patients Post Hospital Reviews, iHealthBeat.org, 02/06/2007