Most consumers reach for Consumer Reports when they're thinking about buying a car or a dishwasher. But soon, they'll be able to use CR to rate their local hospital.

The venerable consumer publication has set plans to provide patient satisfaction ratings for more than 3,400 U.S. hospitals, using data from the government's Hospital Consumer Assessments of Healthcare Providers and Systems Survey. The Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center will display its hospital ratings online using the familiar Consumer Reports color-coded interface.