Consumers have more resources to help them make smart purchasing decisions than ever before. From digital cameras to kitchen appliances, with just a few clicks of a mouse, shoppers can see side- by-side comparisons of different brands and product features, read reviews and find the best prices.

One challenge we face in America is making these same kinds of tools available to consumers of health care. As strange as it sounds, in most cases consumers have more available resources to help them buy a toaster than they do to choose a surgeon.