Find and Evaluate Health
Information
Health Information Lines
Medical Reference Sources
Medical Dictionaries
Finding a Health Care Provider
Consulting with a Health Care Provider
Laboratory Tests
Choosing and
Evaluating Healthcare Organizations
Electronic
Health Records
Getting a copy of your medical
records
Health Insurance Resources
Health Insurance Appeals and Disputes
Prescription Drug Cost Assistance
Medical Cost Assistance
For
Kids
Find and
Evaluate Health Information
Evaluating Websites for Accuracy, Authority, Bias/Objectivity,
Currency/Timeliness, and Coverage (National Library of Medicine)
Find Good Health Information
(Medical Library Association)
Evaluating
Health Information (MedLinePlus)
Health
Information on the Web: Finding Reliable Information (American Academy of
Family Physicians)
Health Information Lines
Health Info
Lines
A list of Health Info Lines by topic.
Medical Reference
Sources
Medline
Plus
MedlinePlus contains links to many useful health resources
from the National Institutes of Health and other reputable health information
organizations. Each health topic has its own webpage of linked resources. For
each health topic the resources are subdivided into six categories:
- Health Topics:
Read about symptoms, causes, treatment and prevention for over 1000 diseases,
illnesses, health conditions and wellness issues. MedlinePlus health topics are
regularly reviewed, and links are updated daily.
- Drugs, Herbs and
Supplements: Learn about your prescription drugs and over-the-counter
medicines. Includes side effects, dosage, special precautions, and more. Browse
dietary supplements and herbal remedies to learn about their effectiveness,
usual dosage, and drug interactions.
- Videos & Tools:
Watch health videos on topics such as anatomy, body systems, and surgical
procedures. Test your knowledge with interactive tutorials and games. Check
your health with calculators and quizzes.
- Medical Tests:
Learn about medical tests, including what the tests are used for, why a
doctor may order a test, how a test will feel, and what the results may mean.
- Medical
Encyclopedia: The A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia includes over 4,000
articles about diseases, tests, symptoms, injuries, and surgeries. It also
contains an extensive library of medical photographs and illustrations..
- Healthy Recipes:
These recipes show you how to prepare tasty, healthy meals that help you
develop a healthy eating pattern.
Merck Manual -
Consumer
The Consumer Version of the Merck Manual provides
information on health topics in an article form. The articles cover symptoms,
diagnosis, and treatment for each health topic.
- Many of the articles
have images, embedded videos, and links to related resources.
- The website features a
sidebar which lets you easily navigate to different parts of the article.
- All of the linked
resources are listed at the end of the article for easy access. There is also a
list of all the drugs mentioned in the article which you can click on to get a
pop-up window with more information.
Medical
Dictionaries
Medline Plus Medical
Encyclopedia
The A.D.A.M. Medical Encyclopedia includes over 4,000
articles about diseases, tests, symptoms, injuries, and surgeries. It also
contains an extensive library of medical photographs and illustrations.
Talking Glossary of Genetic
Terms
US National Human Genome Research Institute. Designed to help
everybody understand words and ideas behind genetic research. Explained by
scientists at NIH
Some Common
Abbreviations
This appendix supplements the MedlinePlus Understanding
Medical Words tutorial.
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/medicalwords/
Finding a Health Care
Provider
Choosing
a Doctor or Healthcare Service
DocFinder
Federation of State Medical Boards
American Board of Medical Specialties
American Medical
Association Doctor Finder
WebMD
Physician Directory
Consulting with a Health Care
Provider
Patients and Consumers
(Patients and Consumers US Agency for Healthcare Research and
Quality)
Talking
With Your Doctor (US National Institutes of Health)
When
You Visit Your Doctor (Harvard Health Publications)
Talking
With Your Doctor: A Guide for Older People (National Institute on
Aging)
Talking
to Your Doctor (National Institutes of Health)
Laboratory Tests
Lab Tests
Online
Noncommercial patient education on blood, urine, and other lab
tests to help health care consumers better manage their care. Gives summaries
of what a specific test is used for and what test results mean. Also answers
common questions. Includes Understanding Your Tests. Product of professional
organizations which represent the laboratory community.
Choosing and Evaluating Healthcare
Organizations
U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services Hospital Compare
Information about the quality
of care at over 4,000 Medicare-certified hospitals- Opens in a new window
across the country.
American Hospital
Directory
Data and statistics about more than 6,000 hospitals
nationwide. Evidence based information on key characteristics, services
provided, utilization statistics, accreditation status, financial information,
and more
The Joint Commission
Quality Check
List Joint Commission accreditation status. The commission
accredits and certifies over 21,000 organizations throughout the United
States.
Leap Frog - Compare
Hospitals
Nearly half of all U.S. hospitals voluntarily provide data to
their annual survey. The Leapfrog Group is a nonprofit watchdog organization
that serves as a voice for health care purchasers, using their collective
influence to foster positive change in U.S. health care. Leapfrog is the
nation’s premier advocate of hospital transparency—collecting,
analyzing and disseminating hospital data to inform value-based
purchasing.
National
Association for Home Care: How to Choose a Home Care Provider and Home Care and
Hospice Agency Locator
More than 33,000 home care and hospice agencies.
From a nonprofit organization that represents the nation's 33,000 home care and
hospice organizations.
Nursing Home
Compare
Detailed information about every Medicare and Medicaid-certified
nursing home in the country.
Hospice Compare
Find
hospices that serve your area and compare them based on the quality of care
they provide.
Electronic Health Records
Personal Health
Records
Personal Health Records Links to basic information, related
issues, statistics/research, and articles.
Electronic
Medical Records
Includes reports, blog items, press releases, and brief
items.
Getting
a copy of your medical records
Complaint Information -
Medical Record Access Denied
If you are denied access, you can file a
complaint with U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Civil
Rights.
Federal
Medical Facility Right to Obtain Medical Records
If you receive care in
a federal medical facility, you have a right to obtain your records under
federal privacy act of 1974.
Health Insurance Resources
Plan Finder (Health
insurance options)
Provided by the federal government
Health
Insurance Buying Guide
Consumer Reports. With sections Understanding
health insurance, Choosing health insurance, Maximizing your insurance and
Managing Medicare.
Health
Insurance: Understanding What It Covers
Short article on covered
services, essential health benefits, medical necessity, and a bit more.
Additional links about health insurance, medical bill understanding, and the
Affordable Care Act.
Consumer
Information On Health Plans
US Dept of Labor. Live & Work Events,
Affordable Care Act, COBRA Continuation Health Coverage, and more
My Medicare Matters
National
Council on Aging. Topics include Explore coverage, Make sense of costs,
Understand enrollement Includes options as Prescription drug coverage and extra
coverage for Parts A (inpatient) and Part B
(outpatient)
Health Insurance Appeals and Disputes
How
to Appeal a Health Insurance Denial (Wall Street Journal article)
Handling
Health Plan Disputes from the Kaiser Family Foundation
This guide, which
includes a checklist for diagnosing your coverage, will help you navigate your
employer or private health plan’s internal grievance procedure, as well as
any external review program your state may have. The guide is not applicable,
however, for resolving disputes if you have Medicare or Medicaid
coverage.
Prescription Drug Cost Assistance
Extra
Help (sometimes called the Low-Income Subsidy, LIS)
Medicare’s Part
D Low Income Subsidy (also called LIS/Extra Help) helps cover the Part D
prescription drug plan costs.
Medicare
Plan Finder
Compare Medicare plans in your area after entering your
prescription drugs.
NeedyMeds
Non-profit providing
comprehensive and up-to-date information on Patient Assistance Programs (PAPSs)
and other programs that help those in need obtain their medications and medical
care. Clearinghouse on information in areas such as prescription assistance;
free/low cost health clinics; coupons and rebates & more; diagnosis based
assistance; camps & retreats; scholarships; government programs; additional
resources to lower costs Those that have a public (such as Medicare or
Medicaid) or private insurance plan can use the card instead of their insurance
if for example:
- A medication is not
covered under insurance.
- They’re in a
coverage gap, like the “donut hole”
- They have a high copay
or deductible
Partnership for Prescription
Assistance
Helps qualifying patients without prescription drug coverage
get the medicines by matching them with the right assistance programs. Many
will get their medications free or nearly free.
RxAssist
Patient assistance programs are
run by pharmaceutical companies to provide free medications to people who
cannot afford to buy their medicine. RxAssist offers a comprehensive database
of these patient assistance programs, as well as practical tools, news, and
articles so that health care professionals and patients can find the
information they need.
National
Organization for Rare Disorders - Patient Assistance Program
Patient
Assistance Programs to help patients obtain life-saving or life-sustaining
medication they could not otherwise afford. also works in partnership with
pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies as well as patient organizations to
provide travel and lodging assistance for study participants enrolled in
specific rare disease clinical trials. Over the course of time NORD has
expanded its services to offer financial assistance with insurance premiums and
patient co-pay fees as well as assistance with reasonable and appropriate
diagnostic testing expenses and travel to and consultation with disease
specialists that are not covered by a patient’s insurance
plan.
Patient Advocate Foundation -
Co-pay Relief
Provides direct financial assistance to qualified
patients, assisting them with prescription drug co-payments their insurance
requires relative to their diagnosis.CPR call counselors work directly with the
patient as well as with the provider of care to obtain necessary medical,
insurance and income information to advance the application in an expeditious
manner.
Medical Cost Assistance
Patient Advocate
Foundation (PAF)
The PAF helps to solve health insurance and access
problems. The website has information on resources, programs, and provides
personal help. PAF offers assistance to patients with specific issues they are
facing with their insurer, employer and/or creditor regarding insurance, job
retention and/or debt crisis matters relative to their diagnosis of life
threatening or debilitating diseases.
National
Financial Resource Directory
Patient Advocate Foundation created the
National Financial Resource Directory to help individuals quickly generate a
list of national and regional resources that are dedicated to improving access
to quality care and decreasing the financial burden of medical
treatment.
National
Organization for Rare Disorders - Patient Assistance Programs
Financial
assistance, for those eligible, with insurance premiums and patient co-pay fees
as well as assistance with reasonable and appropriate diagnostic testing
expenses and travel to and consultation with disease specialists that are not
covered by a patient’s insurance plan.
For Kids
Kids Environment: Kids
Health
From the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, a
resource for kids, parents, and teachers to find fun and educational materials
related to health, science, and the environment we live in today.
BAM! Body and Mind
Classroom Resources for Teachers
From the Centers for Disease Control, a
classroom resource portal for teachers of grades 4-8. Teachers can use BAM
resources and information to help students make healthier lifestyle
choices.
Nemours
KIdsHealth
All about how the body works, staying healthy, homework help,
and more — just for kids |
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