Resources for More Information
If you have access to a computer
and the Internet, you can find
information on every health topic.
If you don't have a computer,
check with your local library. Most
libraries have computers you can
use and staff who can help you
learn to search the Internet. Phone
numbers are provided where
available.
Resources on the Web
Agency for Healthcare Research
and Quality (AHRQ)—For information
and resources on quality of care, medical errors and patient safety,
various clinical conditions, prevention and wellness, prescription
medicines, smoking cessation, choosing a health plan, and many
other topics, go to the Consumers & Patients page at: http://www.ahrq.gov/consumer/. Call the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse at 1-800-358-9295.
National Guideline Clearinghouse™—For links to
many Web sites that feature science-based health information, go to the Patient Resources page at:
http://www.guideline.gov.
QualityTools—This clearinghouse for practical, ready-to-use tools for
measuring and improving the quality of health care is sponsored by AHRQ and includes a weekly E-mail update service. For information for patients and consumers, health care providers, policymakers, and payers and purchasers, go to: http://www.qualitytools.ahrq.gov.
National Institutes of Health
(NIH)—The government's primary source for conducting and funding
clinical research. To access the main NIH Web site, through which you
can access information on many health topics and link to the various
Institutes that make up NIH—including the National Cancer
Institute, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, and many
others—or to search for your topic, go to: http://www.nih.gov.
ClinicalTrials.gov—The National Institutes of
Health provides regularly updated information about federally and
privately supported research in human subjects. To browse the ClinicalTrials
site or enter a specific location, condition, or other search topic, go to: http://clinicaltrials.gov.
Medicare.gov—To compare hospitals and nursing
homes in your area, go to: http://www.medicare.gov. Phone 1-800-MEDICARE.
healthfinder®—This site, sponsored by the U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services, offers links to hundreds of sites on
the Internet that contain reliable health care information. For links to many
government and nongovernment sources of information on health
care quality, go to: http://www.healthfinder.gov/healthcare/.
Joint Commission on
Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)— To locate JCAHO accredited hospitals, assisted living
facilities, laboratories, and other types of health care facilities and
services in your area, go to the Quality
Check page at: http://www.jcaho.org/quality+check/index.htm. Phone 1-630-792-5000.
URAC—To access information about URAC's health care quality accreditation and certification programs and services, go to http://www.urac.org/. Phone 202-216-9010.
National Committee for Quality
Assurance—To access information about different types of health insurance, your rights as a consumer, consumer fact sheets, and other information, go to the Health Insurance section on the Consumer page at: http://www.naic.org/consumer_home.htm. Phone 1-888-275-7585.
National Association for Home
Care and Hospice—To locate home care,
hospice services, and other resources in your State, phone 1-202-547-7424.
American Health Quality Association—AHQA represents the national network of Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) that help physicians, hospitals, health plans, nursing homes, and home health agencies improve the quality of care they deliver. QIOs focus on the adoption of best practices to provide safe, effective and patient-centered care. To locate a QIO near you or find out more about health care quality, go to: http://www.ahqa.org/pub/189_1085_5234.cfm.
Accreditation Association for
Ambulatory Health Care—To locate outpatient health care services, such as
freestanding surgery centers, radiology facilities, podiatrists, pain
management clinics, and many other types of outpatient facilities
accredited by the Association, go to: http://www.aaahc.org. Phone 1-847-853-6060.
American Medical Association (AMA)—To access AMA's "DoctorFinder," with
information about virtually every licensed physician in the United
States, as well as links to other helpful information, go to: http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/category/3158.html. Phone 1-800-621-8335.
National Organization for
State Medical and Osteopathic Board Executive Directors—To access the "DocFinder" physician database, which contains
information from State government licensing boards on the licensing
background and disciplinary information of physicians and other
health care providers, go to: http://www.docboard.org.
Federation of State Medical
Boards (FSMB)—The Federation collects information on disciplinary actions
taken against physicians by regulatory and licensing agencies, such
as State medical boards, the National Board of Medical Examiners,
various Federal agencies, and other licensing authorities. To search the FSMB Web site to learn if your physician has
any disciplinary history, go to: http://www.docinfo.org. Phone 1-817-868-4000.
America's Health Insurance Plans—To access guides on health
insurance coverage and links to many other sources of information
about choosing a health insurance plan, go to: http://www.ahip.org/content/default.aspx?bc=41. Phone 1-202-778-3200.
National Association of Insurance
Commissioners—To access information about different types of
health insurance, your rights as a consumer, consumer fact sheets,
and other information, go to: http://www.naic.org/consumer_home.htm. Phone 1-816-842-3600.
State and Local Organizations
State and Local Agencies—Check the blue pages of your phone
book to find the State and local health departments in your area.
Local Chapters of National Organizations—Check the white pages
of your phone book to find State and local chapters of national
organizations, such as the American Cancer Society and the
American Diabetes Association. Organizations like these often can
refer you to self-help and support groups and other resources in your
community.
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