Our Editorial Process

Our approach to sources, limitations, testing, and corrections

Our Commitment

What Our Editorial Standards Mean

Health Calculator Online is built by developers, not a clinical care team. The collection includes published formulas, conversions, and simplified estimates. These standards guide improvements to the tools; they are not a certification that every page has passed every check or received independent medical review.

A developer byline identifies who worked on a page. It does not establish clinical expertise. Any independent medical review should identify the reviewer, the scope of the review, and when it occurred. A general reference to a health organization does not imply its endorsement.

Checks That Guide Our Work

Step 1

Research & Discovery

Start with a specific task and identify who a tool is intended to help.

  • Analyze user requests and feedback
  • Define the intended population and use
  • Distinguish measurement, conversion, screening, and estimation
  • Prioritize based on user impact
Step 2

Sources & Assumptions

Identify the method and its limits. A published formula and a custom approximation require different explanations.

  • Link to the specific formula, study, or reference dataset
  • Record the version and population where relevant
  • Explain approximations and unsupported adjustments
  • Avoid implying that an organization endorses the tool
Step 3

Development & Testing

Check the implementation against reproducible examples, unit conversions, and boundary cases.

  • Check arithmetic and unit handling
  • Test edge cases and boundaries
  • Compare with published examples where available
  • Ensure mobile responsiveness
Step 4

Review & Feedback

Distinguish internal development checks from independent review by a qualified professional.

  • Identify who implemented the tool
  • User feedback via contact channels
  • Name a clinical reviewer only when that review actually occurred
  • Usability assessment
Step 5

Publication

A useful page needs a working tool, an explanation of its method, and limitations that match its outputs.

  • Confirm that the calculator produces the described results
  • Remove placeholder text and unsupported accuracy claims
  • Keep visible content and structured data consistent
  • Make sources and error-reporting information accessible
Step 6

Corrections & Updates

Prioritize reported errors, unclear assumptions, and relevant changes to a tool’s source material.

  • Assess relevant guideline or dataset changes
  • Track user feedback
  • Retest changed calculations
  • Use review dates only for reviews that have taken place

Our Quality Standards

Supportable Claims

A result should not be described as clinically validated unless evidence supports that specific method and use.

Transparency

Readers should be able to distinguish a published method from a simplified estimate and understand its main limitations.

Privacy Protection

Calculations run in the browser. Some tools save entries on the device; our Privacy Policy explains storage and other data handling.

Accessibility

Calculators designed to be usable by everyone, regardless of technical or medical knowledge.

Meaningful Dates

A page update date is not a medical-review date. Changes should reflect actual work, not imply a review that did not occur.

User Feedback

Readers can report unexpected outputs, missing sources, or unclear explanations through the contact page.

Finding and Evaluating Sources

The organizations and publications below are starting points for research. A calculator needs a reference to the specific method or dataset it uses; this list does not validate an individual tool or establish that its assumptions fit your situation.

Medical Organizations

  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • American Heart Association
  • American Diabetes Association

Research Databases

  • PubMed Central
  • Cochrane Database
  • New England Journal of Medicine
  • The Lancet
  • JAMA Network

Updates & Corrections

Research and guidelines change, and errors can be found after publication. We do not claim that every calculator is reviewed quarterly or immediately updated after each guideline change. Check the source and limitations for the particular tool you are using, and report concerns through our contact page.

Source Changes

Assess relevance to the affected tool

Reported Errors

Include the tool, inputs, and unexpected result

User Feedback

Continuous improvements

Editorial Independence

Our editorial process is completely independent. We do not accept payment for calculator placement or allow external parties to influence our formula selection or implementation. Advertising does not establish the clinical validity of a calculator or endorse an advertised product. Our tools provide educational information and do not replace advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a qualified healthcare professional.

Have Feedback or Questions?

We value your input in improving our calculators