An online remedy?

Saturday, Feb. 23, 2008 | 2:07 a.m.

A Minnesota entrepreneur has created a Web site to help people find and compare doctors and medical procedures, which could be a good start toward giving patients more choices.

Tony Miller, the founder of Carol.com, wants to build it into the Travelocity.com of health care. The site allows users to compare prices for various procedures, rate the services they received and learn about treatment options. The site plans to integrate information from various insurance plans so patients can see what they will be charged under their plan.

The site, named Carol because its creators want it to be like a friendly neighbor who freely dispenses advice, was recently rolled out for the greater Minneapolis area. There are plans to expand into other markets.

Industry analysts say the Web site will have a small market, considering that most people are tied to an insurance plan. They believe the site will be attractive to people with high-deductible plans or who are willing to go outside their insurance plan.

The site has been criticized by physicians and others who are concerned about the emphasis in health care based solely on the bottom line. Critics note that Carol.com lists only doctors and service providers that have paid a fee to be included on the site.

Those are legitimate concerns that will have to be considered by consumers and the medical community. What critics must understand, though, is that the site is a reflection of consumers’ frustration over health care costs.

Miller is an advocate of reducing the cost of health care through competition, and so far has seen some progress. One of the larger providers charged $213 for a flu shot, then quickly reduced that to $30 to meet the price a competitor charges.

The openness and transparency a Web site like this provides will, it is hoped, lead to providers’ and insurance companies’ paying more attention to the prices that consumers pay. And that would be a good start to rein in out-of-control health care costs.