Last month I wrote about the fact that Angie's List, a consumer-referral service, had started helping its members rate doctors, clinics, hospitals and pharmacies.

In the May edition of its consumer magazine, the company published several articles about its decision to enter the arena of health care information. (You might be able to read a version of the magazine if you click here.)

Here's a brief rundown of what you'll find.

Editor Sue Wiltz says that 76% of readers think that the company has a good idea. Some health care professionals say that online ratings can boost business and improve patient satisfaction. Some, however, argue "that patients aren't savvy enough to accurately evaluate care."

In "Rx for health care," Chris Austin says that offering people the ability to "discuss their experiences in a forum like this one acknowledges that people have decisions to make in how they spend their health care dollars." He adds, however, that the idea of being rated on performance rattles some people.

"Picking your medical professional," meanwhile, offers 6 tips.

Finally, "THE Angie of Angie's List" gives her take on it all. "I don't know how to fix a clogged drain or re-side my house," she says, "but I can certainly tell you whether the professional I hired for the job does."

Companies such as Angie's List aren't the only means of improving health care, of course, and there's always going to be a place for people who devote their lives to learning about the human body and helping others with their health.

But the genie is out of the bottle, and the increased availability of information not only about medicine but about its practitioners will serve us well.