[INFORMATION ABOUT HOSPITALS AND THE ORGANISATION OF THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM: EVALUATION OR CLASSIFICATION? THE USERS' POINT OF VIEW].

Until recently users felt that the French healthcare system was the best in the world and consequently all of the actors, structures and organisations were of a similar level of excellence and competence. Patients were often directed by their general practitioner or by the opinion of their friends and family. This feeling of homogenity of the quality of the hospitals or healthcare professionals has disappeared. Nowadays users want to have information which is useful for them and allows them to find their way in an organisation of healthcare that is very complex, and therefore a source of inequality. This informaion may come from institutional sites, league tables in newspapers or Internet sites. But, if it is to be useful, this information must be accessible and understandable by all, both in form and content. This is not always the case. It is in the interest of the healthcare system to be as transparent as possible, so it must resolutely go in this direction.