Public transparency Web sites for radiology practices: Prevalence of price, clinical quality, and service quality information

Purpose: To assess information regarding radiology practices on public transparency Web sites. Methods: Eight Web sites comparing radiology centers' price and quality were identified. Web site content was assessed. Results: Six of eight Web sites reported examination prices. Other reported information included hours of operation (4/8), patient satisfaction (2/8), American College of Radiology (ACR) accreditation (3/8), on-site radiologists (2/8), as well as parking, accessibility, waiting area amenities, same/next-day reports, mammography follow-up rates, examination appropriateness, radiation dose, fellowship-trained radiologists, and advanced technologies (1/8 each). Conclusion: Transparency Web sites had a preponderance of price (and to a lesser extent service quality) information, risking fostering price-based competition at the expense of clinical quality.