title: A strong dose of information: health plans as "infomediaries".
abstract: Information therapy, the theme of this issue, is fitting and timely because all of us who are dedicated to, or interested in, improving healthcare quality know that a good strong dose of information is what the healthcare system needs right about now. In an increasingly consumer-driven world, patients, of course, need to know more about how to best contribute to their own care; they need to know which providers are doing the right things consistently, and which health plans deliver the highest caliber of service. They need this information not only to help them self-manage chronic illnesses, but also to help them make educated choices about providers and plans.
authors.affiliation: National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: Margaret E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: O'Kane
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007255:Information Services; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009922:Oregon; D010358:Patient Participation; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D012648:Self Care