The first organizations eligible for a survey under the changed policy are those surveyed between July 1997 and April 1999. If time allows, surveyors will also look at five high-risk areas. The Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, will create a new interactive health education Internet portal for the general public in response to the daily calls the clinic receives from people requesting more web services. Mayo's new Internet presence will focus on interactive health education rather than traditional health information because the 10 million people who use health sites each day want to obtain knowledge to confidently make health-related decisions, according to Mayo officials. All services will be relevant to helping people improve their lives.
Patients turn to the Internet before going to the doctor and then again afterwards.
People are also beginning to manage their health electronically, which has added a new dimension to healthcare. People are taking more responsibility for their own health. Patients are actively involved in making decisions about their health. Priorities for research on medical errors and strategies to improve patient safety will be identified by an advisory panel, and grants will be awarded through an independent peer review process. Through the second initiative, U.S. Quality Algorithms, the quality measurement affiliate of Aetna U.S. Healthcare, will develop plans to produce reports during the year 2000 designed to help participating hospitals improve their clinical performance and assist their efforts to reduce avoidable medical errors.