Consumer Health Care Resources

Consumers in the U.S. may have a lot of questions regarding health care. They might have trouble deciding which doctor or health care facility to use, wonder how to report a concern or quality issue or need help getting financial assistance. Fortunately, a variety of organizations and programs are available to help them get the answers they need.

Consumer-Related Resources

• The nonprofit Center for Medical Consumers strives to be an advocate for patients. Its basic function is to provide medical information and encourage patients to ask questions and explore medical solutions with their physicians. The center publishes articles, journals and other medical information on its website for consumers at no charge. The Consumer Health Information Corp., Citizens for Health and the Empowered Patient Coalition are also available to assist health care consumers with general questions and concerns.

Patient Safety and Quality Resources

• The Joint Commission, an independent nonprofit organization, accredits and certifies U.S. health care organizations and program. Nationwide, a Joint Commission accreditation or certification is recognized as a sign of quality health care. For consumers, the Joint Commission provides information regarding accredited and certified facilities as well as an outlet to report quality or patient safety concerns. Also, consumers may have agencies available in their home state that offer similar services, such as the Agency for Health Care Administration in Florida.

Physician and Hospital Reviewing Resources

• HealthGrades provides health care ratings and profiles of physicians, hospitals, outpatient medical facilities, nursing homes and other health care facilities to help consumers make an informed decision regarding their health care needs. HealthGrades offers much of its information at no charge for consumers but requires payment for specialized or specific data. Other companies also provide this type of data, including Vitals.com and RateMDs.com.

Financial Resources

• The U.S. government offers two programs -- Medicare and Medicaid -- to alleviate the cost of health care for some consumers. The Medicare program is available for consumers older than 65, while Medicaid assists consumers who have special needs and financial hardships by offering insurance or medical care at either no cost or a reduced cost. Through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (see link in References), consumers can find information regarding eligibility for the two health care programs as well as information on the application process.