Using the Internet to educate consumers about health care choices

Employers are increasingly using the internet to distribute comparative information to employees, dependents and retirees as it is often more cost-effective and can be easily updated and customized to meet users' needs. Health Pages, a New York City-based consumer health information publisher, has been working with employers to distribute health education articles and comparative information nationwide. Working with employers such as General Motors, Boeing/McDonnell Douglas, US WEST and Southern California Edison, Health Pages has created customized websites providing a variety of benefit and comparative managed care plan/physician information via corporate intranets. To reach a broader audience, Health Pages also works with newspapers and magazines. Future activities in information dissemination will include aggregating performance information into simpler categories and allowing greater user interactivity.