SALT LAKE CITY — The Regence Foundation announced today a $55,000 grant for the Utah Partnership for Value-Driven Health Care to build a Web site to help consumers improve the value they get from health care.

“Would you buy a new car without first doing some research about what its safety features are, how much it costs and where to buy it?” asked Jennifer Cannaday, Regence Foundation board member. “Probably not. Unfortunately, consumers frequently have to make uninformed decisions about health care because it's nearly impossible to find cost and quality information online.”

The Utah Partnership for Value-Driven Health Care is dedicated to helping consumers make smart health care choices. The Web site will offer consumers detailed comparisons on:

• Clinics' quality indicators for specific procedures or medical conditions
• Cost comparisons against state averages and industry benchmarks
• Skills and capabilities available at a particular clinic
• Clinic hours and location
• Future functions include individual provider data to help physicians improve their care

“As we are each asked to take on more responsibility for health costs, consumers need comparable information to make informed, value-based health care decisions,” said Cannaday. “The Regence Foundation and the Utah Partnership for Value Driven Health Care both believe in leveraging technology to heighten patient awareness of cost and quality issues.”