About IPI

  • The Informed Patient Institute (IPI) is an independent nonprofit organization that provides credible online information about health care quality and patient safety for consumers.
  • IPI rates the usefulness of online doctor, hospital, and nursing home report cards. We don't rate individual health facilities or practitioners — but we'll tell you who does.
  • We also provide Tip Sheets about what to do if you have a concern about quality in a hospital, nursing home or physician's office — starting in California, Maine, New York and Pennsylvania.
  • IPI also advocates for making more–and more useful–health care quality information available to consumers.
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How We Rate Sites

Rating LegendWhat does Unique Content mean?Rating Legend

  • IPI staff rates websites that provide performance information about health care providers and professionals.
  • Sites are assigned a grade of "A" (outstanding) to "F" (not worth your time).
  • Sites that have unique content are given a "U" for Unique.
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What's New

In The Press

Making Health Care Quality Information useful
- Center for Advancing Health, 2/1/12

http://blog.preparedpatientforum.org/blog/
2012/02/whats-engagement-now-experts-discuss-emerging-challenges-carol-cronin/

 

IPI Reports

My Favorite Health Websites
- Greater Annapolis Patch, 3/1/12

http://annapolis.patch.com/blog_posts/
blog-my-favorite-health-websites

How to Get Your Medical Records in Maryland - Greater Annapolis Patch, 2/8/12

http://greaterannapolis.patch.com/blog_posts/
blog-how-to-get-your-medical-records
Hospital report card site reviews are now live in: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa and N Dakota

Unique Content icon

Sites that offer unique content that is worthwhile, but do not fit most of IPI's rating criteria, are given a "U" for Unique. As an example, perhaps a site provides information about complaints or regulatory actions not found elsewhere.