HealthGrades, Fresenius Medical Care, Sign Agreement to Sponsor Nephrologist-Quality...

HealthGrades, Fresenius Medical Care, Sign Agreement to Sponsor Nephrologist-Quality Reports For Patients

Sponsorship Agreement Will Help Patients Research Kidney
Specialists at www.HealthGrades.com
GOLDEN, Colo.--(Business Wire)--
Physician-quality reports for every practicing kidney specialist
in the country will now be free to the more than five million patients
that research healthcare providers on HealthGrades.com each month,
according to an agreement announced today between Fresenius Medical
Care North America (FMCNA), the nation's leading provider of dialysis
products and services, and HealthGrades, the leading healthcare
ratings company. Under the agreement, FMCNA will sponsor the
physician-quality reports (found on HealthGrades.com) of all
practicing nephrologists, to help those with kidney disease easily
research and select the doctor that is best for them.

To research and select a doctor, Americans utilize the
physician-quality reports at HealthGrades.com more than any other
online resource.

"As the leading destination for trusted information on the quality
of each of the nation's doctors and hospitals, HealthGrades is working
to make more of that information free to patients through sponsorship
support from healthcare companies," said Kerry Hicks, HealthGrades'
CEO. "Today HealthGrades takes a giant step forward in that regard,
and, thanks to this arrangement with FMCNA, those with kidney ailments
will soon have objective, authoritative information - at no cost - to
help them choose the physician that's right for them."

Each HealthGrades physician-quality report typically costs $29.95.
But beginning June 5, 2008, visitors to HealthGrades.com will have
free access to the full HealthGrades physician-quality report on each
of the nation's practicing nephrologists - physicians focusing on the
medical treatment of patients with kidney diseases.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, 26 million Americans
have chronic kidney disease, and another 20 million are at increased
risk for the disease. In addition, the rising incidence of diabetes in
America is expected to lead to an increased number of people requiring
dialysis for chronic kidney disease.

"Working with HealthGrades is the most effective way we've found
of providing educational information to those with kidney disease at
the exact moment they are in need - when they are searching for a
doctor in their area," said Mats Wahlstrom, Co-CEO of FMCNA.

The physician-quality reports on HealthGrades.com are designed to
help patients research and select a doctor as well as schedule an
appointment. Reports include background on the physician's medical
training, board certification, state disciplinary actions,
patient-satisfaction ratings, nearby hospital-quality ratings,
malpractice judgments (in 15 states) and more. The nephrologists whose
quality reports will be made free to HealthGrades.com visitors will
also have the opportunity to add patient-friendly information to their
profiles such as practice philosophy, publications in peer-review
journals, subspecialties, office hours and insurance plans accepted.

"Our internal studies show that when physician-quality reports are
offered to patients at no charge, patients view the reports and make
appointments with those doctors at a dramatically higher rate," said
Mr. Hicks. "We are pleased to work with FMCNA to provide this valuable
information to those suffering from Chronic Kidney Disease and to
their family members."

On its website, HealthGrades currently offers independent quality
ratings, medical-cost data and other information to individuals
researching care providers. Visitors to the site can find objective
quality information on each of the nation's 700,000 practicing
physicians as well as all 5,000 non-federal hospitals and 16,000
nursing homes in the U.S.

About HealthGrades

Health Grades, Inc. (Nasdaq: HGRD) is the leading healthcare
ratings company, providing ratings and profiles of hospitals, nursing
homes and physicians to consumers, corporations, health plans and
hospitals. Millions of consumers and some of the nation's largest
employers, health plans and hospitals rely on HealthGrades'
independent ratings to make healthcare decisions based on the quality
and cost of care. More information on the company can be found at
www.healthgrades.com.

Health Grades, Inc.
Scott Shapiro, 720-963-6584
sshapiro@healthgrades.com

Copyright Business Wire 2008