About - Health On The Web

Prevention & screening
Symptoms & diagnosis
Doctors
Diseases & conditions
Treatment options
Drugs
Surgery
Alternative & complementary
Hospitals & facilities
Insurance & financial
Medical records
Research articles

The consumer's guide to healthcare

Everyone will take healthcare journeys in their lifetime.

Given that healthcare experiences are universal, it is surprising how little preparation we receive for them. The internet has put vast amounts of information at our fingertips but when to question, what to ask and who to trust are not always obvious.

The goal of HEALTH ON THE WEB is to bridge gaps in consumer healthcare knowledge and preparation, with a focus on information that is important, less well-known and actionable. This information is supported by and linked to authoritative sources. The best way to use HEALTH ON THE WEB is to read through the website’s Guides now to become aware of issues that may arise, then refer back to the Guides and Key Websites as needed.

Some reasons to check the roadmap:

"Medicare Advantage plans often deny needed care, federal report says."

- New York Times -

"Medication overload will contribute to the premature deaths of 150,000 older Americans over the next decade and reduce the quality of life of millions more."

- Lown Institute -

"People spend billions of dollars a year on health-related products and treatments that not only are unproven and often useless, but also sometimes are dangerous."

- Federal Trade Commission -

"The rate of complications and mortality varies widely among hospitals."

- JAMA Forum -

"Hospital-acquired conditions, such as bedsores, infections, and post-operative blood clots, are pervasive and cause unnecessary morbidity and mortality."

- University of Michigan -

"One-hundred percent of medical records have errors... some are really impactful and might make a huge difference."

- MedPage Today -

"Millions of uninsured people are eligible for free plans" under the Affordable Care Act.

- KFF -

"Nearly half- 45%- of nonprofit hospital organizations are routinely sending medical bills to patients whose incomes are low enough to qualify for charity care."

- Kaiser Health News -

"Mistakes in prescribing, dispensing and giving medications... injure thousands of people every year in the U.S."

- Mayo Clinic -

The hospice movement has been "transformed... into an industry rife with fraud and exploitation."

- Wall Street Journal -