Patient Education

Searches

• MedlinePlus Health Information
  Reviews, fact sheets, and detailed drug monographs, selected by librarians at the National Library of Medicine, that provide comprehensive coverage of diseases and health topics for consumers.
• The Merck Manual of Medical Information - Home Edition
  A patient-oriented reference, in easy-to-understand English, that offers comprehensive medical information on human disorders and diseases. Merck & Co., Inc .
• Medem Consumer Medical Library
  A directory of credible, comprehensive, consumer-oriented articles on various health conditions. Medem is a partnership of major medical associations including the AMA, AAO, AAP, ACAAI, ACOG, APA, and ASPS. Free registration.
• FamilyDoctor.org Patient Handouts from AAFP
  A large collection of physician-written, carefully-maintained, regularly reviewed and updated patient handouts which include reviews of common health problems, tips for healthy living, drug information, herbal & alternative remedies, and a dictionary. Includes Spanish versions. Searchable. The American Academy of Family Physicians.
• Healthfinder
  A directory of consumer-oriented health publications produced by government agencies and not-for-profit organizations. Healthfinder is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• WebMD's Health Topics A-Z
  REG Consumer-directed disease reviews and general interest articles that address disease causes, risk factors, diagnosis, treatment, complementary therapies, and self-care. The pages provide web links and support resources. Restricted registration or content areas. Web MD.
• Diseases, Disorders, and Related Topics at Karolinska
  A searchable directory of medical librarian selected briefs on disease conditions. The link collection is directed to lay persons, health care professionals and researchers. Karolinska Institute Library of Sweden.
• Intelihealth
  A patient-oriented metasite which offers fact sheets, topic reviews, and news updates on health conditions. Includes an encyclopedia, a drug education database, etc. Features Harvard Medical School's Consumer Health Information. InteliHealth is a subsidiary of Aetna U.S. Healthcare.
• MayoClinic.com
  REG Search and browse access to news items, research updates, disease briefs, drug information, first aid and practical self care recommendations. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Free registration.
• Medical Benefits Checkup.org
  Seniors fill-in an online questionnaire with income, expenses, health coverage, etc. The program generates a report that lists local, state, and national benefits that may pay for prescription drugs, medical care, utilities, etc. The National Council on Aging.

News

• Health News from The New York Times
  REG Continuously-updated news, press releases, and short articles related to health issues from one of the United States' premier news organizations. Free registration.
• WebMD Health News
  The latest news headlines, drug alerts and approvals, product alerts and approvals. WebMD Inc.
• British Broadcasting Corporation News - Health
  The "BBC" posts daily updates on consumer health and medical research developments. This website also offers a searchable archive of medical notes on common disorders.
• drkoop.com Health News
  Search access to current and archived news stories on health and medicine.

Full Text / MultiMedia

• Medlineplus Interactive Health Tutorials
  Interactive modules, for patient education, that explain conditions or procedures in easy-to-read language with animated graphics. Patient Education Institute and the NLM.
• Public Broadcasting System Health and Medicine Program and Series Sites
  Highly-graphic, multimedia online programs produced by the PBS. Many of the programs provide greater detail in support of television broadcasts: "Inside the Teenage Brain", "Making Babies", "Medicating Kids", etc.
• The Merck Manual of Medical Information - Interactive Edition
  This interactive edition of a patient-oriented, comprehensive medical textbook adds photos, animations, videos, pronunciations, and illustrations. Merck & Co., Inc.
• DIPEx Patient Experiences Database
  A collection of text, videos, and audio clips that convey patient experiences as they confront various diseases. Presented by the Department of Primary Care of the Institute of Health Sciences at the University of Oxford.
• Healthology.com Webcasts
  Physician-generated streaming video health programming and expert-authored health and medical articles. Healthology.
• Medbroadcast.com Video News
  Narrated consumer health videos and animations regarding current health topics and controversies.
• MedicalView.com from Visual Data Corporation.
  Two to four minute consumer oriented streaming videos that answer frequently asked questions on a variety of healthcare topics. Visual Data Corporation / MedicalView Corporation.
• PreOp.com
  REG Access text, graphics, and video to educate consumers about upcoming surgical procedures. Free 'guest' login. Free registration. Creative Management Tools Inc .
• Yahoo Health Multimedia Gallery
  Commercially sponsored video presentations regarding popular health concerns. Yahoo! Inc.
• Family Health Audio Series at Ohio U. College of Osteopathic Medicine
  Audio files on Family Health issues that were initially broadcast over a network of 250 radio stations. Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine. RealAudio format. Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Textbooks

• 1upinfo.com Encyclopedia - Medicine
  Encyclopedia and reference resources. Excerpts from the Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia.
• Basic Medical Training Manual
  A text that presents how the human body is constructed and how it functions. The project is directed to those healing the sick or managing conditions following injury.
• Diseases and Conditions A-Z at MayoClinic.com
  Reference articles on diseases and conditions: signs and symptoms, causes, risk factors, when to seek medical advice, screening and diagnosis, complications, treatments, prevention, self-care, coping strategies, and complementary and alternative medicine. Reviewed for accuracy by Mayo Clinic experts. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
• Medical Encyclopedia at drkoop.com
  A browsable collection of consumer directed briefs that describe common medical symptoms and conditions. Published by Adam.com and DrKoop.com. .
• ADAM Medical Encyclopedia
  An image enhanced patient oriented reference with definitions and descriptions of over terms. Maryland Oncology and ADAM, Inc.
• Health Encyclopedia of Dr. Smith
  A health encyclopedia with patient-friendly descriptions of over 1500 medical conditions with information on medical disorders, conditions, therapies, procedures & treatments. Wausau Hospital.
• MyMedAdvise Glossary
  Disease and concept definitions. DSHI Systems, Inc
• NHS Direct Online Health Encyclopaedia
  Information on illnesses, conditions, tests and treatments. Published online on 29 November 2001. Presented online by the United Kingdom's National Health Service.

Major Sites / Home Pages

• PDR.net Getting Well Network
  REG Disease reviews, news, medication monographs, and a medical dictionary. Free registration. Medical Economics.

Images, Path./Clinical

• MEDtropolis Virtual Body
  Interactive schematics of anatomic parts and functions of the human body in English and Spanish. Columbia/HCA Healthcare Corporation.
• PatientVideo Library
  More than 100 titles in cardiology, neurology, oncology, pulmonology, and several other medical specialties. Healthcommunities.com.
• Human Anatomy Online
  Contains over one hundred illustrations of the human body with animations and descriptive text. INTELLIMED International Corp .

Patient Education

• Healthtouch A to Z Patient Handouts
  A searchable and browsable list of consumer level disease information derived from professional organizations. The documents are low on graphics and are offered in an appropriate format for print distribution to patients. Medical Strategies, Inc.
• Customized Patient Handouts from Merckmedicus
  REG Well-formatted patient handouts that can be customized by users to carry a physician's letterhead making them suitable for distribution to patients. The clinical metasite Merckmedicus sponsors this resource for verified physician subscribers. Restricted registration or content areas.
• Health Information Handouts from the NIDDK
  High quality, patient-oriented, disease-categorized fact sheets on diabetes, digestive, endocrine, hematologic, and kidney disorders. The documents are well-formatted for print distribution. Presented by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases .
• McKinley Health Center Patient Education Handouts
  Succinct, one page patient handouts directed to college students. The documents are well-formatted for print distribution. Health Center of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
• NIH On-line Consumer Health Handouts
  Government-sponsored fact sheets, collected from various institutes of the NIH, that include detailed, multi-page pamphlets on various disease topics. The documents are appropriate for print distribution.
• Patient Education Handouts at Alabama
  Handout documents that are well-categorized and well-formatted for print distribution. Includes a "How's your health?" survey that patients can take to the doctor appointment. University of South Alabama.
• Patient Education Handouts at Utah
  A wide variety of information for patients and their families. The documents are available in PDF and HTML format and are well-formatted for print distribution. Published by the University of Utah Health Sciences Center and funded by the National Library of Medicine.
• Patient Education Handouts from Pittsburgh
  Formatted documents that are used as handouts at the University of Pittsburgh UPMC Health System to explain conditions and procedures. PDF files. University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
• Patient Education Handouts from the Ohio State Medical Center
  Topic-oriented patient education documents that are posted as PDF files and are well-formatted for print distribution. Ohio State University Medical Center.
• Patient Handouts at Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc.
  Health handouts in PDF format. Harvard Pilgrim Health Care, Inc.
• "Contact a Family" Conditions and Rare Disorders (U.K.)
  This website, for a United Kingdom charitable organization, informs families about rare disorders: inheritance patterns, definitions, support groups, and treatment information. The CaF Directory was developed with a grant from the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry.
• Best Health Guide at Best Practice of Medicine
  Provides patients with answers to specific concerns with practical medical information which can be customized and printed, or emailed, to patients by their physicians.
• Disease Reviews fom MyDiseaseDex
  Definition, description, causes, symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and prevention. Micromedex / Thomson Corporation.
• Diseases Explained from Lexi-Comp
  A series of illustrated guides and posters covering a wide range of diseases and conditions, explaining how they are caused and all the treatments currently available. Lexi-Comp, Inc.
• eMedicine Consumer Health
  Information on the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment of nearly every type of disease and health condition. eMedicine.com, Inc.
• General Practitioner Network Information Services (Australia)
  Offers general practitioners disease information sheets, travellers health notes, and patient information sheets. North East Valley Division General Practice, Victoria, Australia .
• Health PDF Files at Hunter Rural Division of Health Practice (Australia)
  Illustrated patient education documents, in PDF format, that can be printed out for patients. Hunter Rural Division of General Practice.
• LaurusHealth.com Illnesses & Conditions
  A web project, from a consortium of 1800 community hospitals, that offers reviewed, patient-oriented resources including disease reviews, a drug guide, FDA drug approvals, and descriptions of medical tests.
• MDAdvice.com Health Center
  Contains consumer-oriented information on symptoms, illnesses, medications, surgeries, medical tests, sports injuries, supplements, pregnancy, and pediatric illnesses. Medical Data Exchange and the Online Medical Network Inc. .
• Medbroadcast Disease Reviews (Canada)
  REG Disease reviews and interactive tools that cover treatment, diagnosis, detection, and conference highlights. Medbroadcast.com. Free registration.
• Medicine Health Guides from U. Maryland
  Offers clear explanations of medical conditions or treatments, a glossary of key terms, and a list of relevant on-line resources. University of Maryland.
• Medscape Health for Consumers
  Searchable and browsable consumer health information that covers common health topics, drugs, first aid, and self care. Medscape, Inc. .
• MerckSource
  Health tools and resources, breaking medical news, topic reviews of disease and conditions, Merck & Co.
• MyLifePath from Blue Shield of California
  Provides disease and conditions summaries for a consumer audience. Blue Shield of California, Inc. .
• Patient Educational Handouts from U. Iowa
  A compilation of patient education documents, authored at the University of Iowa, regarding common medical conditions and issues. Virtual Hospital / University of Iowa.
• Patient Handouts at MedicineAu
  A set of patient education handouts, from an Australian health metasite, that is appropriate and download and printout in PDF format.
• Patient Handouts from U. Kansas Medical Center
  Handout materials, in the Adobe PDF file format, regarding female health: psychological, sociological and physiological issues. The University of Kansas.
• Patient Leaflets from Doctor Magazine (U.K.)
  Patient leaflets on common conditions, in PDF format, that are well-formatted for printing and distribution to patients. The resources are sponsored by a weekly journal that is tailored for United Kingdom general practitioners. Reed Business Information .
• Patient Medical Assistant
  Simple instructions for patient management of common medical problems. Dr. Michael Cole .
• UpToDate Patient Resource Center
  Free clinical information articles on selected topics. The materials are adapted from this subscription service's content authored for physicians.
• Well-Connected: Health Information in English and Spanish
  $  REG Print out patient education documents from this fee subscription service. Fee registration. Free trial.
• Women's Complete Healthbook from the American Medical Women's Association
  Chapters cover: coping with the health care system, nutrition, substance abuse, aging, genetics, fertility, pregnancy, cancer, hypertension, sexually transmitted diseases, managing medications, etc. Published by the American Medical Women's Association in 1995.
• BabyCenter
  REG Parenting information that covers pregnancy and infant care topics Free registration. BabyCenter, Inc.
• Canadian Health Network
  Disease briefs that describe symptoms, treatments, and diagnosis for various conditions. The materials are collected from various Canadian healthcare-related agencies. Health Canada.
• Common Problems from General Practice Network, Victoria, Australia
  Clear explanations of symptoms and explanations of common illnesses from the book "An Apple a Day" published by Harper Collins in 1995.
• Covenant Health Online Health Information Library
  A collection of health education fact sheets, written from a consumer's perspective, that are updated annually. HBOC Call Center Group and Covenant Health.
• Doctor Healthynet
  A patient-oriented metasite that offers age-grouped preventive health guidelines, preventive health counselling topics, A-Z disease reviews, and introductory information on medical procedures. Iuka Family Clinic.
• Family Doctor - The Online Services Group (N.Z)
  A database of hundreds of articles, composed by family doctors and specialists, that present reviews of common medical topics for consumers The Online Services Group of New Zealand.
• Go Ask Alice from Columbia University
  A database of factual, in-depth, straight-forward, and non-judgmental professional answers to users' clinical questions. The information aids decision-making about physical, sexual, emotional, and spiritual health. Much of the information is geared toward teens and young adults. Columbia University .
• Health and Fitness at Oxygen
  Health news stories and reviews of common conditions. Oxygen Media .
• Health Topic Index at Iowa
  Topic and disease briefs authored by the HBOC Call Center Group and presented online by the University of Iowa's UI Health Care.
• Health Topics A-Z from Med Help International.
  REG An archive of answers from physician experts to e-mailed clinical questions from patients. Medhelp also links to online clinical trials, disease reviews, and consumer-oriented articles. Free registration. Med Help International .
• HealthAtoZ.com
  An annotated, searchable directory of health-related web sites plus original news and consumer-oriented disease reviews and health maintenance tools. Medical Network Inc. .
• Healthcite.com
  REG Disease brief reviews that offer fast and efficient information to assist consumers in answering their questions about health. Offers a directory of web links regarding disease risk factors, etiology, pathophysiology, prognosis, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, support groups, and medical literature citations. Free registration. HealthCite, Inc .
• HealthInsite Quality Health Information for Australians
  Up-to-date and quality assured information on important health topics such as diabetes, cancer, mental health, and asthma. Commonwealth Government of Australia .
• Healthology Health Multimedia Websites
  Multimedia programs and articles that feature health professionals and educate patients, physicians, and school professionals about various health topics.
• HealthyWomen.org
  A comprehensive collection of information on women's health and related topics including news items, health tips, lifestyle recommendations, and a directory of women-friendly health organizations and services. Searchable. National Women's Health Resource Center, Inc .
• iVillageHealth.com Conditions A to Z
  Summaries of common symptoms and diseases directed to informed health consumers. iVillage, Inc. .
• Mcleod Health Health Information Library
  A wealth of health information, in 54 categories, that increases awareness of health issues managed at McLeod Health - a health system of northeastern South Carolina.
• Medic-planet Health Encyclopedia
  Briefs on diseases and common problems. A quarter of a million words and over 150 colour drawings provide treatment and patient education. Previously published as "The Family Encyclopedia of Disease", 1999. Bryan Bunch, Scientific Publishing Inc .
• Medicdirect (U.K.)
  A UK-based, consumer-oriented metasite with disease briefs that offer disease definition, incidence, causes, prevention, signs, symptoms, complications, investigations, and treatment. Medicdirect.co.uk, Ltd.
• MedicineNet
  REG A consumer-directed metasite of health information that includes a database of disease summaries with causes, symptoms, diagnoses, and management. The resouce also includes a medical dictionary and drug and test information. Restricted registration or content areas. MedicineNet, Inc. .
• Medinformation.com Symptoms & Conditions
  An A to Z compendium of briefs on diseases and disorders. Also available in Spanish. Allina Health System .
• NIH`Word on Health
  Practical consumer health information updates based on scientific research at universities and medical schools around the country. National Institutes of Health of the Department of Health and Human Services.
• NOAH`New York Online Access To Health
  A directory of links to high quality full-text health information for consumers in both English and Spanish. The resource is supported by the City University of New York, the Metropolitan New York Library Council, the New York Academy of Medicine and the New York Public Library.
• Patient and Consumer Health Topics at SUNY
  Documents categorized by topic or service distributed to patients at SUNY Upstate Medical University.
• Patient Ed Disease Fact Sheets at PrescribingReference.com
  REG A collection of patient directed disease reviews from esteemed medical organizations. Restricted registration or content areas.
• Self-Care for Common Conditions Guidelines at Emedicine
  Consumer directed reviews of the practical management of common conditions. Emedicine, Inc. .
• The Health Gazette from Tallahassee Memorial Regional Med. Cent.
  Articles on primary care topics initially written for Tallahassee Memorial Regional Medical Center by a family physician. Karl Hempel, M.D. .
• AHCPR Consumer Health from Dept. HHS
  Searchable and browsable information on health related topics and consumer versions of clinical practice guidelines. Agency for Health Care Policy and Research.
• Discovery Health
  Searchable and browsable consumer-directed information on diseases and conditions and medical tests. Many interactive quizes to help you learn. Johns Hopkins Intellihealth and Discovery Health Media, Inc.
• drkoop.com
  REG Searchable consumer-focused site which provides healthcare information on a wide variety of subjects, as well as access to medical databases, publications, medical news and interactive communities. Site includes drug information and a medical encyclopedia. Free registration. Personal Medical Records, Inc .
• Gynecologic Health Center
  Includes information on symptoms, causes, treatments, and FAQs on selected gynecologic problems. Organized in sections by symptoms and topics, with links to other Web resources. Women's Health Interactive.
• Harvard Medical School`Family Health Guide
  An online companion to a textbook that offers self-help news updates, advice on drug-drug interactions, and explanations of treatments and diagnostic tests. Includes interactive "symptom charts". Users answer questions about symptoms. The program helps users decide what to do. President & Fellows of Harvard College.
• Health Encyclopedia at PersonalMD.com
  A patient-oriented medical reference that covers more than 700 medical and surgical topics.
• Healthcare South Patient Education
  Illustrated, patient education documents on medications, smoking cessation, allergy, asthma, sports injuries, drug interactions, and dietary supplements. Healthcare South is an association of physicians practicing in private offices in the South Shore Hospital area in Massachusetts.
• HealthClinicUSA
  A consumer level directory of websites regarding disease conditions, common symptoms, diagnostic steps, and treatments. Dr. Schueler's Health Informatics, Inc.
• Mercy Health Partners Healthy Lifestyle Center
  Consumer targeted articles, categorized by organ system, that provide up-to-date health information. Web-health.com .
• Mylifepath.com Ills & Conditions Directory
  Text notes on various diseases that provide summaries of diagnosis and management. Blue Shield of California, Inc. .
• Rush World Book Medical Encyclopedia
  Definitions and short summaries for an A to Z list of thousands of disease conditions. Rush-Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center.
• The Why Files - Health
  Illustrated news stories directed to curious and informed individuals. University of Wisconsin, Board of Regents.
• BluePrint for Health from BC & BS of Minnesota.
  Consumer information on diseases, fitness, nutrition, pregnancy, alternative medicine, occupational medicine and more. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota.
• C-Health
  Canadian health stories, diseases covered in-depth, and a patient-oriented disease and drug database. Canoe Limited Partnership.
• Detroit Medical Center`Health Information
  Short topic reviews of common disorders. Detroit Medical Center and HBOC National Health Call Center Group.
• eBioCare.com Information Center
  A directory of consumer and clinician resources on prescription drugs and treatment for select chronic conditions. Ebiotech.com.
• Harvard Health Publications
  These fee subscription publications, Heart Letter, Women's Health Watch, Mental Health Letter, and Men's Health Watch, cover family health, major illnesses, lifestyle, risk, and health care delivery issues. Harvard Medical School.
• HealthBeat Consumer Health Articles from U. Washington.
  Health articles of interest to consumers listed by subject. University of Washington.
• Infonet`Drug and Disease Information
  Information on pharmaceuticals for both health professionals and consumers. Accessible by brand name, generic name, manufacturer and therapeutic class. Links to manufacturer's website for information. Look like package inserts. J.A. Little Publishing Co. Inc. .
• Navy Health Book Patient Education
  Patient directed articles compiled from the "Navy & Marine Corps Medical News". Most articles are internationally peer-reviewed. Virtual Naval Hospital at the University of Iowa.
• StayHealthy.com
  Browse and search access to patient-oriented instructions and information. Wellness Interactive Network / Stayhealthy, Inc.

Directories

• Stanford's Health Library Selected Internet Resources
  Thousands of reviewed web sites that provide scientifically based health information: online reference books, health news, information about drugs, surgery, medical tests, clinical trials, and complementary and alternative medicine.
• Health Excite.com
  A directory and search utility for health related web sites. Excite, Inc .
• The Doctors' Page
  Links to consumer health news & information arranged by subject. G.S.Nace, M.D.

Educational Materials

• NCERx Health Sites
  Unbiased, easy to read and understand content with in-depth coverage of common medical conditions and orphan diseases. Each condition covered has several sites dedicated to different aspects of that condition.
• Scientific American "Ask the Expert": Medicine
  An expert panel fields questions about medicine from a general audience and posts well researched replies including relevant links and references.
• Ask the Doctor & Second Opinion Online Services Index from Karolinska
  An index of topic-categorized links to services that offer expert advice, support services, information retrieval, etc. Karolinska Institute.
• Cleveland Clinic Health Information Center
  Original fact sheets on common health conditions with links to information from other health organizations.
• Journey of Hearts
  A well-illustrated website that offers notes on grief and healing. The site provides support for patients and families suffering significant life changes. Kirsti A. Dyer, MD, MS.
• Safemedication.com
  A searchable database that features more than 650 drugs listed by brand and generic names. The database was developed by the ASHP to help patients learn more about their medications. American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.
• The Health Library Online Video Collection at Stanford
  Videos are presented as a public service by the Health Library at Stanford. Most of titles are about 30-60 minutes long and address common health topics. You must have the RealPlayer software.
• MDConsult Patient Education Handouts
  REG This fee-based metasite of clinical knowledge allows clinicians to personalize patient education handouts, then print them. Fee registration. Restricted registration or content areas. Free trial. MD Consult L.L.C.