Be an Informed Be an Informed Patient: an Patient: an

Introduction to Introduction to Health & Medical Health & Medical Resources OnlineResources Online

Katrina BelogorskyKatrina Belogorsky

April 21, 2011April 21, 2011

Medical & Health Medical & Health DatabasesDatabases

Skokie PL as of April 2011Skokie PL as of April 2011 General Medical Sites General Medical Sites • ConsumerReportsHealth.org from ConsumerReportsHealth.org from

EBSCOEBSCO• Drug Facts & Comparisons • Medical Reference Books from Gale • MedlinePlus• Natural Standard Natural Standard • Salem Health

Consumereports Consumereports health.orghealth.org

Drug Facts and Drug Facts and ComparisonComparison

Medical reference Books Medical reference Books from Galefrom Gale

Medical Reference Books Medical Reference Books from Galefrom Gale

MedlinePlusMedlinePlus

www.medlineplus.gov

MedlinePlus is the National Institutes MedlinePlus is the National Institutes of Health's Web site for patients and of Health's Web site for patients and their families and friends. their families and friends.

MedlineplusMedlineplus

Clinical Trials also in Clinical Trials also in MedlineplusMedlineplus

Salem HealthSalem Health

Salem HealthSalem Health

Salem HealthSalem Health

Doctor & HospitalDoctor & HospitalWhat can and cannot be What can and cannot be

answeredanswered• YESYES

- General/biographical information.- General/biographical information.

- License Look ups- License Look ups

- Suspensions/lawsuits- Suspensions/lawsuits• NONO

- Number of individual procedures - Number of individual procedures performed performed

or types of patients seen.or types of patients seen.

Licence Look-ups & biosLicence Look-ups & bios

• Doctors are licensed by state. In IllinoisDoctors are licensed by state. In Illinois

Department of Professional Regulations Department of Professional Regulations www.idfpr.com

- License number, original issue date, - License number, original issue date, and the date of expiration are and the date of expiration are provided.provided.

- If there is a “Y” under “Ever - If there is a “Y” under “Ever Disciplined?”Disciplined?”

you’ll be able to click it for more you’ll be able to click it for more information.information.

IDFPRIDFPR

• The IDFPR used to provide more The IDFPR used to provide more information information

(medical school attended, year of (medical school attended, year of graduation, residency, etc.), but that graduation, residency, etc.), but that information was removed due to a information was removed due to a lawsuit.lawsuit.

Hospital’s websitesHospital’s websites

• Most hospitals now provide physicians Most hospitals now provide physicians profiles on their websites. Usual info profiles on their websites. Usual info includes:includes:

-A picture, age, some times brief bio-A picture, age, some times brief bio

-Medical school, year of graduation, -Medical school, year of graduation, residencyresidency

-Board certification, areas of specialty-Board certification, areas of specialty• ABMS ABMS www.abms.org shows board shows board

certification.certification.

Registration is required.Registration is required.

More! More!More! More!

• A quick Google search may turn up A quick Google search may turn up membership in relevant professional membership in relevant professional organizations or even a C.V.organizations or even a C.V.

• A quick Pubmed or some other A quick Pubmed or some other article search will turn up any recent article search will turn up any recent scholarly publications.scholarly publications.

More Tools…More Tools…

• Angie’s list – user based reviews, not Angie’s list – user based reviews, not freefree

http://www.angieslist.com/• Insurance Companies DatabasesInsurance Companies Databases

-ex. United Healthcare -ex. United Healthcare https://www.geoaccess.com/uhc/po/Default.asp

• Private Companies – Castle Connolly Private Companies – Castle Connolly guidesguides

www.acstleconnolly.com

More tools..More tools..

• Big publications like Chicago Big publications like Chicago Magazine & U.S. News and World Magazine & U.S. News and World Report. Report.

- Rankings are not truly objective.- Rankings are not truly objective.

- They often buy their ranking data - They often buy their ranking data from organizations like Castle from organizations like Castle Connolly.Connolly.

More tools…More tools…HealthgradesHealthgrades

Healthgrades HospitalsHealthgrades Hospitals

Healthgrades DoctorsHealthgrades Doctors

Healthgrades Healthgrades MalpracticeMalpractice

Physician Directories Physician Directories

• American Board of Medical Specialties • American Dental Association (ADA) M

ember Directory

• DoctorFinderDoctorFinder from the American from the American Medical AssociationMedical Association

• License Look-up from the Illinois License Look-up from the Illinois Department of Professional Regulation Department of Professional Regulation

• MedlinePlus Directories: General MedlinePlus Directories: General Doctors and Dentists Doctors and Dentists

Doctor’s Finder Doctor’s Finder

ProceduresProcedures

• Data does exist about specific Data does exist about specific procedures at the hospital level procedures at the hospital level (billing, etc.) & with insurance (billing, etc.) & with insurance companies, but it is proprietary & companies, but it is proprietary & will not be able to access it.will not be able to access it.

Hospitals,  HMOs, and Hospitals,  HMOs, and

Nursing HomesNursing Homes• American Hospital Directory American Hospital Directory • America's Best Hospitals America's Best Hospitals from U.S. from U.S.

News & World ReportNews & World Report • Hospital Compare (Department of Hospital Compare (Department of

Health &Human Services)Health &Human Services)• Nursing Home Compare (from Nursing Home Compare (from

Medicare.gov)Medicare.gov)• Nursing Homes in Illinois Nursing Homes in Illinois from the from the

Illinois Department of Public HealthIllinois Department of Public Health

Drug InformationDrug Information

• Drug Facts & Comparisons (SPL Drug Facts & Comparisons (SPL Database)Database)

• DrugDigest DrugDigest • Drugs, Supplements, and Herbal Drugs, Supplements, and Herbal

Information Information

(Part of MedlinePlus)(Part of MedlinePlus)• Drugs.comDrugs.com • Electronic Orange Book (FDA)Electronic Orange Book (FDA)• Natural Standard (SPL Database)Natural Standard (SPL Database)

Buying drugs onlineBuying drugs online

Buying Drugs OnlineBuying Drugs Online

VIPPSVIPPS Verified Internet Pharmacy Verified Internet Pharmacy Practice Sites Practice Sites

from the from the

National Association of Boards of National Association of Boards of Pharmacy Pharmacy NABPNABP

http://www.nabp.net/http://www.nabp.net/

Articles from Professional Articles from Professional Journals Journals

• Pubmed – pubmed.gov Pubmed – pubmed.gov

• PsycARTICLES PsycARTICLES

Kaiser Family FoundationKaiser Family Foundationwww.kff.orgwww.kff.org

• non-partisan source of facts, non-partisan source of facts, information, and analysis for information, and analysis for policymakers, the media, the health policymakers, the media, the health care communitycare community

• One of the best sources to One of the best sources to understand Health Reform understand Health Reform http://healthreform.kff.org/http://healthreform.kff.org/

HealthCare.govHealthCare.gov

• Find Insurance OptionsFind Insurance Options• Hospital CompareHospital Compare• Nursing Home CompareNursing Home Compare• Dialysis CompareDialysis Compare• Understand the new LawUnderstand the new Law• Health Care NewsHealth Care News

Illinois Pre-Existing Illinois Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan Condition Insurance Plan

(IPXP) (IPXP)

• The Pre-Existing Condition The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan makes health Insurance Plan makes health insurance available to people who insurance available to people who have had a problem getting have had a problem getting insurance due to a pre-existing insurance due to a pre-existing condition. condition.

https://www.pcip.govhttps://www.pcip.gov

Pre-Existing Condition Pre-Existing Condition Insurance PlanInsurance Plan

• The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance The Pre-Existing Condition Insurance Plan: Covers a broad range of health Plan: Covers a broad range of health benefits, including primary and benefits, including primary and specialty care, hospital care, and specialty care, hospital care, and prescription drugs.prescription drugs.

• Doesn’t charge you a higher premium Doesn’t charge you a higher premium just because of your medical just because of your medical condition.condition.

• Doesn’t base eligibility on income.Doesn’t base eligibility on income.

Evaluating internet Health Evaluating internet Health InformationInformation

• Who runs the site?Who runs the site?• Why have they created the site?Why have they created the site?• What do they want from you?What do they want from you?• Who is paying for the site? Does the Who is paying for the site? Does the

site’s information favor to sponsor?site’s information favor to sponsor?• What is the original source of the What is the original source of the

information?information?• How is the information on the Web How is the information on the Web

site documented?site documented?

Evaluating Health Evaluating Health InformationInformation

• How does the Web site choose links to other How does the Web site choose links to other sites?sites?

• How is information reviewed before How is information reviewed before it is posted on the Web site?it is posted on the Web site?

• What information about its visitors does the What information about its visitors does the Web site collect, and why?Web site collect, and why?

National Library of Medicine TutorialNational Library of Medicine Tutorialhttp://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/

webeval/webeval.htmlwebeval/webeval.html

Evaluating Health Evaluating Health InformationInformation

RememberRemember

Information that you find on the Information that you find on the Web site does not replace your Web site does not replace your doctor’s advice.doctor’s advice.

If you read something on the Web If you read something on the Web that doesn’t agree with what your that doesn’t agree with what your doctor has told you, ask him or her doctor has told you, ask him or her about it.about it.