Improving Quality for Online Consumer Health Seekers: The Find A Health Site Project

Consumer use of the Internet for health information is growing rapidly; however the quality of online health information varies widely. Indicators of quality online information have been established; however no pervasive standard has emerged, despite the existence of several codes. We are developing a novel solution, called FindAHealthSite. The health site database will allow consumers to search for specific topics with specific features, rather than be forced to sift through the results of a standard search engine search. The site educates the consumer about assessing health site quality and helps health information providers understand the elements required for a site to provide quality health information.