Medical

  • Well Connected A library of reports for consumers on common diseases and wellness issues.  Authoritative, in-depth and updated regularly.

    • Dictionaries
    • On Line Medical Dictionary Search Dorland’s Medical Dictionary by term or by using the alphabetical directory.
    • MEDLINEplus Dictionary Allows you to type the first few letters of the word followed by an asterisk.
    • PBS Parents Kids Medical Dictionary A kid friendly medical dictionary with simple definitions of common children’s illnesses and conditions.
    • Consumer Reports Best Buy Drugs Information that helps you determine which medicines fit both your bill of health and your
      wallet.  Some information is offered in Spanish.
    • Cancer.gov Federal Government’s principal agency for cancer research, training and information dissemination.  Assesses the
      incorporation of state-of-the-art cancer treatments into clinical practice.
    • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) U.S. government site on disease control.
    • Familydoctor.org This information from the American Academy of Family Physicians has been written and reviewed by physicians and patient education professionals and is reviewed and updated regularly.
    • Healthfinder® National Health Information Center, U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services.
    • HIV InSite HIV information
    • Kidshealth®
    • Mayo Clinic The well-respected Mayo clinic information on diseases and conditions, healthy living, drug search, first aid etc.
    • MEDEM: an information partnership of medical societies Offers consumer and more advanced reliable health care information
    • MEDLINEplus (English | Spanish) Contains more than 700 topics on health and wellness, diseases and drug information
      Includes a medical encyclopedia; dictionary; directories and links to other authoritative consumer sites.
    • NOAH: New York Online Access to Health Provides accurate, timely, relevant and unbiased consumer health information in
      English and Spanish.
    • Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council “An independent state agency responsible for addressing the
      problem of escalating health costs, ensuring the quality of health care, and increasing access for all citizens regardless of
      ability to pay.” (Taken directly from their web site.)
    • Whonamedit is a biographical dictionary of medical eponyms. This site attempts to present a complete survey of all medical phenomena named for a person, with a biography of that person. Eventually, this will include more than 15,000 eponyms and more than 6,000 persons.

    Advance directives, Living Wills, Medical Power of Attorney

    • ABOUT ADVANCE DIRECTIVE
      In Pennsylvania adults generally have the right to decide if they want to accept, reject or discontinue medical treatment.  The purpose of an ADVANCE DIRECTIVE is to tell others what medical care and treatment you would like to receive or not receive should you become unable to communicate your wishes.
      The Advance Directive will only take effect when:
      1. Your doctor has a copy of it.
      2. Your doctor has concluded that you are incompetent to make decisions about the medical care you wish to receive
      3. Your doctor and a second doctor have determined that you are in a terminal condition or in a state of permanent unconsciousness

    If you have questions about Advance Directives your attorney or the following groups are available to provide you with information:

    • Area Agency on Aging (see your yellow pages for the phone number of your local agency)
    • Pennsylvania Council of Aging
      555 Walnut Street, 5th Floor
      Harrisburg, PA 17109-1919
      (717) 783-1924
    • The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
      255 Market Street
      Harrisburg, PA 17101
      (717) 238-2277
    • The Pennsylvania Medical Society Business Resource Center
      777 East Park Drive
      Harrisburg, PA 17105-8820
      (717) 558-7750
    • Caring Connections Good explanation plus Advance Directive in PDF format for each state.
    • University of Pittsburg Medical Center Advance Directives, Living Wills, Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
    • Pa Dept of Aging Advance Directives, Living Wills, Power of Attorney for Health Care

    Alternative Health

    Benefits

    Government and private medical benefit programs including prescription drugs, health care etc.

    • Benefits Checkup Free online service sponsored by the National Council on the Aging that screens individuals over 55 for federal, state and private benefits programs.  Prescription drugs, health care, utilities and other essential items or service.
    • Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance All Federal programs available to State and local governments (including the District of Columbia); federally -recognized Indian tribal governments; Territories (and possessions) of the United States; domestic public, quasi-public, and private profit and nonprofit organizations and institutions; specialized groups; and individuals. After you find the program you want, contact the office that administers the program  and find out how to apply.
    • Government Benefits Confidential government website sponsored by several Federal agencies and organizations.  Helps people find government benefits for which they may be eligible.  Benefits may be direct payments, a loan, insurance, training, or other services.
    • Helping Patients Interactive web site that provides a link to thousands of medicines offered through hundreds of patient assistance programs.  Contains a directory of all the member companies that conduct these programs and the medicines that are covered.
    • Needy Meds Programs available to help consumers who cannot afford their medications.  Application forms when available.
    • The Medicine Program Discounts on drugs provided by participating pharmacies.  No fees, not an insurance program, you pay the discounted price of the drugs.
    • Together RX Discounts on drugs at participating pharmacies

    Cancer

    Children’s & Teen’s Health

    • American Academy of Pediatrics
    • BBC Education Kid’s Health
    • The Congenital Heart Information Network (resources to families of children with congenital and acquired hearth disease)
    • FDA Kid’s Home Page – colorful, easy from the Food and Drug Administration
    • Girls Health Offers girls reliable and useful health information in a fun, easy-to-understand way from the Office of Women’s Health.  Aso provides information to parents and educators to help them teach girls about healthy living.
    • Home Safety Council – The Home Safety Council (HSC) is the only national nonprofit organization solely dedicated to preventing home related injuries that result in nearly 20,000 deaths and 21 million medical visits on average each year.  Visit the site for safety tips for all ages, including games to teach children safe habits.
    • Kidshealth® Numours Foundation
    • PBS Parents Page - expert and parent-tested tips for giving medicine to children of all ages from infants to teens.
    • PBS Parents Kids Medical Dictionary A kid friendly medical dictionary with simple definitions of common children’s illnesses and conditions.
    • Sweating Out a Fever – New advice on treating fevers from the Wall Street Journal.
    • Teen Survival Guide Health tips for girls on the go from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

    Clinical Trials

    • Clinical Trials.gov Provides current information about clinical research studies.  It is organized by disease treatment, location, and sponsoring organizations.  From National Institute of Health.
    • Clinical Trials Commercial site dealing with clinical trials.

    Doctor Directories

    • Doctor’s Disciplinary Actions Has your Dr. had any disciplinary action brought against him?  From Pa Department of State, Bureau of Professional & Occupational affairs; Or check with Healthgrades A commercial site that offers a report including schools associations, background and disciplinary actions.
    • Best Doctors – U.S. News and World Reports Find the best doctor for you, including medical specialists, from the thousands of top doctors nominated by peer review.   Search by a doctor’s name, specialties or hospitals.

    Hospital directories of doctors and medical specialists  – Also check the web sites of individual hospitals.

    Local Hospitals

    Famous hospitals

    Medical Specialists

    Drugs

    Drug Benefit Programs

    • Free or Less Expensive Drugs
    • Helping Patients Interactive web site that provides a link to thousands of medicines offered through hundreds of patient assistance programs.  Contains a directory of all the member companies that conduct these programs and the medicines that are covered.
    • Needy Meds Programs available to help consumers who cannot afford their medications.  Application forms when available.
    • The Medicine Program Discounts on drugs provided by participating pharmacies.  No fees, not an insurance program, you pay the discounted price of the drugs.
    • Together RX Discounts on drugs at participating pharmacies

    Drug Companies Drug companies often offer discount programs for their drugs.

    Drug Information

    Magazine Articles

    • Consumer Health Complete (EBSCOhost)
      Everyday consumer health care information.  Convenient access to easily understandable health and medical information.   Search and browse within medical encyclopedias, popular reference books, and magazine articles.
    • Readers’ Guide Select (Wilson Web)
      Search many health topics including medical sciences, food sciences, nutrition, childcare, sports medicine and general health.  Full text for over 225 journals.
    • Highwire Sandford University Library of the Sciences and Medicine.  Free searchable journal articles.
    • Physician and Sports Medicine Peer reviewed monthly journal, deals with medical aspects of exercise, sports and fitness.
    • PubMed The bibliographic info in MEDLINE covers medicine, nursing, dentistry, veterinary medicine, and health care from more than 4600 journals.
    • Medscape Easy to use free site but does require a user to logon.  One of Medscapes’ goals is to make available to a broad medical audience clinical information with the depth, breadth, and validity needed to improve the practice of medicine.

    Medical Societies

    Medical urban legends

    Mental Health Awareness

    Just as physical activity keeps your body strong, mental activity keeps your mind sharp and agile. If you learn new  skills your brain continues to grow, literally. An active brain produces new connections between nerve cells that allow cells to communicate with one another. This helps your brain store and retrieve information more easily, no matter what your age.  Want some ideas of new things to try?

    • Learn to play a musical instrument
    • Play Scrabble, or do crossword puzzles or jigsaw puzzles, or word searches
    • Play cards, rummy, bridge, cribbage, chess
    • Interact with others
    • Switch careers or start a new one
    • Start a new hobby, such as crafts, painting, biking or bird-watching
    • Learn a foreign language
    • Volunteer
    • Stay informed about what’s going on in the world
    • Read, Write in a journal
    • Travel
    • Draw or paint
    • Quilt knit, crochet
    • Play Soduko and other challenging puzzles

    A mentally stimulating job, taking classes that interest you or even just reading more can help you maintain your memory longer as you age.

    Tools for Healthier Lives   Stay physically active; eat right, manage stress, these and many more ideas are explained in the Mayo Clinic Tools for healthier lives.

    Mental Health Information

    Health resources

    Nursing homes

    • Nursing Home Compare Detailed information about the past performance of every Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home in the country.

    Rare diseases

    SARS