Resources for Families
Use the “List of all Topics” or alphabet to search. (Some topics are in Spanish)
KidsHealth is the largest and most-visited site on the Web providing doctor-approved health information about children from before birth through adolescence. This award-winning site is created by The Nemours Foundation's Center for Children's Health Media.
Girl's and Women’s health topics from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Men’s health topics from the Department of Health and Human Services web site.
Get to know the best children’s hospitals of the current year according to this reputable news magazine.
Resources for Hispanics
The NAHH is the oldest and largest network of U.S. health and human service providers for Hispanic consumers.
This is the FDA’s effort to help empower members of the growing Hispanic population to take charge of their own health.
Su Familia Pregnancy Hotline: 1-800-504-7081
Su Familia Helpline: 1-866-783-2645. Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday–Friday. After hours, leave voice mail and the helpline will return your call the next business day.
Indian Health Services
This website which contains select information on specific healthcare topics concerning American Indian and Alaska Natives. The information contained in this website provides an overview as well as detailed descriptions of issues that concern all aspects of the Native American Community.
Choosing a Doctor
Information about physicians is becoming more and more available. It is, however, still quite controversial. For example, malpractice information can be very misleading because some specialties are riskier than others and some doctors are willing to take on high-risk patients, while others are not. With that caveat, it can be useful to be able to find biographical information, languages spoken, training and whether or not physicians have updated their credentials.
The Association of State Medical Board Executives maintains DocFinder Web site found at http://www.docfinder.org/. Oklahoma is one of the participants in this Web site.
The Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Specialists (r610.2573 O32) - The web site listed above provides the same basic information as the book listed.
Call the American Board of Medical Specialties at 800-733-2267 and/or the American Medical Association at 312-464-5000 for information on training, specialties and board certification.
Basic Information on physicians, hospitals and nursing homes in specific U. S. cities, and a very basic evaluation (1-5 star rating) of hospitals' performance in various specialties is free on this Web site. For a fee, you can get detailed evaluations of physicians, hospitals, and nursing homes.
- Vertical File for “Oklahoma—Medicine”
Recent articles from local periodicals are collected in this file.
Choosing a Hospital
This website allows you to select hospitals and compare them on their performance on specific medical procedures.
The U.S. News & World Report's Best Hospitals rankings cover 170 hospitals in 16 adult specialties. Unranked hospitals in this specialty are listed in alphabetical order after the ranked hospitals.
Two points of view:
Comparing hospitals may not be helpful since there are so many variables and many hospitals do not keep or report relevant statistics. It is hard to believe, however, that hospitals where certain medical procedures are performed often would not do a better job in those specific procedures. The best course is probably to be skeptical of ratings and ask questions.
Getting the Best Care
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality is under the Health and Human Services Department of the federal government. This agency has information for consumers and practitioners. At the Web site, type “medical errors” in the search box to find tips on how to prevent medical errors in adults and children.
This U. S. Food and Drug Administration magazine should be useful to anyone looking for consumer health information.
This is a unique, free product designed to provide patients and caregivers with quality, current, readable information on the many clinical tests that are used to diagnose and determine treatment for various diseases and conditions. Use a general keyword search or pull-down menus to locate particular tests, diseases/conditions or screening age groups.
This is a legal guide to help protect your rights.
In clear, non-technical language, privacy lawyer Jacqueline Klosek teaches readers the basics you need to know as an individual healthcare consumer about the ongoing wave of national and state legislation affecting patient privacy.
Drugs
Your doctor and pharmacist can be good sources of information on this topic.
As a resident of Oklahoma, you and your family have access to a Prescription Drug Card program. Simply download your Prescription Drug Card and receive savings of up to 75% at more than 50,000 national and regional pharmacies.
This is a free public-education Web site. View a video about using the Web site and speaking with your doctor. Search by condition or drug name. The Web site also covers natural alternatives.
Learn about safe practices and sign up for a free newsletter at this Web site.
Pharmacy Checker allows you to save money safely on prescriptions by comparing prices and rating pharmacies.
The AARP Guide to Pills is easy to use and understand. It provides a list of things your doctor should know before prescribing each drug. The book also discusses drug interactions and side effects. The preface is an excellent guide to buying and using prescription, nonprescription and generic drugs.
This guide profiles 300 supplements and gives vital information regarding potentially dangerous interactions, possible side effects, and typical dosages.
This comprehensive resource reviews important concepts regarding the use of specific medications and provides clear and succinct information for the drugs that are commonly utilized in clinical practice
This PDR reference covers the most commonly used drugs for which no prescription is required, providing FDA-approved information on analgesics, cough and cold preparations, fever reducers, allergy medications, and more.
The information in this book is about the same as that in the AARP Guide to Pills (see above), however it is organized by medical condition. General information includes “How growing older may affect the way medications work,” “Using over-the-counter medications” and more.
Specific Health Problems
TOS is Tulsa City-County Library’s home-grown database of local nonprofit organizations. Search TCCL’s website, www.tulsalibrary.org, or call AskUs Hotline at TCCL (918-549-7323) for local support groups.
Genetics Home Reference provides information on the effects of genetic variations on human health. Find a genetics specialist in your area; search the “Genetic Disorders A to Z,” the “Concepts and Tools” databases and much more. Website created and maintained by the National Library of Medicine.
Get all your most difficult questions answered on this reliable website.
This website provides important information and resources for patients and family members who want to learn more about chronic kidney disease and dialysis. (This is a U.S. Department of Health Web site).
A website with an extensive searchable database of reliable online health publications, clearinghouses, self-help groups, government agencies academic centers and nonprofit organizations.
This government website is one of the best. Search for specific health topics or drug and supplement names. There is also a medical encyclopedia; a medical dictionary; directories of doctors, dentists and hospitals; local resources; the latest news; and other resources (including libraries local to you). Print or email articles to yourself or a friend.
This site offers a comprehensive collection of secure and rapid links to various topic-related resources, including funding sources. Statistics are also offered.
This Medicare tool will provide you with a list of Medicare health plan choices in the geographic area you specify, along with benefit descriptions and other information to help you choose the plan that’s best for you.
Complementary & Alternative Health
This website has three unusual characteristics: it is maintained by a major university (not a commercial firm); it has information in English and Spanish; and it focuses on herbs used at the US-Mexican border.
A government website from the National Institutions of Health. The Web site provides a thorough review of complementary and alternative medicine. Browse through a list of treatments for health concerns; an explanation of various treatments; and learn how to select a practitioner.
Use the A-Z listing of “Health Concerns” in Part 1 of this book to learn what nutritional supplements, herbs and drugs might be helpful. Part 2 covers nutritional supplements and herbs.
This book includes an alphabetical list of drugs and an index on drug/herb Interactions.
Unbiased and literature-based, this text offers toxicologists, clinical chemists, analysts, and pharmacologists a no-nonsense take on the efficacy, toxicity and drug interactions of herbal supplements and medicines.
The core of this title is organized as Q&As between the general public and the Graedons. It contains as much information as a voluminous encyclopedia of home remedies, yet it's quick, easy, inviting and fun to read.
Choosing Nursing Homes & Home Health Care
The primary purpose of this tool is to provide detailed information about the past performance of every Medicare and Medicaid certified nursing home in the country.
The purpose of this free Web site is to provide individuals with information that can lead to more informed decisions.
End-of-Life Planning
Making treatment decisions for yourself at the end of life often requires planning ahead. The legal tools are:
- Advance Directive for Health Care
- Durable Power of Attorney for Health Care
- Do-Not-Resuscitate Consent
- Guardianship of the Person
An Advance Directive for Health Care is a written legal document which allows you to instruct your attending physician whether or not you wish to be given life-sustaining treatments and artificially administered nutrition (food) and hydration (water) and to give other medical directions that impact the end of life.
The Oklahoma Bar Association offers a series of free informational brochures and other publications on a variety of legal topics at no cost to individuals and libraries.
Guardianship forms for Oklahoma can be found on Oklahoma State Courts Network-FORMS. Click on "Administrative Office of the Courts", then "Guardianship".
Forms are available on the Legal Forms database located under Research on the TCCL website. Access Federal and Oklahoma-specific legal forms, examples and explanations of necessary filings.
Additional Research Tips
Your source for accurate health information on the web. Free, full-text publications are available on many medical topics.
The University of Oklahoma Schusterman Center Library (918-660-3220) located at 4502 E. 41st St., Tulsa, OK is open to the public for research.
Medical Dictionaries
Research Your Condition
Maintained by the National Library of Medicine, this layman's health site has information on health topics, drugs, directories, and dictionaries.
Esta página es manejada por la Biblioteca Nacional de Medicina. Contiene información sobre temas de salud y medicamentos. Tambien facilita acceso a directorios y diccionarios.
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) has pulled together key tools, research and reports, and resources for public health and health communication professionals.
A list of CDC and other federal government health websites especially for kids and teens.
The Office on Women’s Health (OWH) offers award-winning comprehensive websites that provide reliable, accurate, commercial-free information on the health of women. They cover more than 800 topics, on issues ranging from adolescent health to reproductive health to healthy aging.
A list of health websites that provide men’s health and general information, including publications and materials, national and state research findings, guidelines, CDC-funded programs and more.
Health information, articles, and learning tools from the AARP web site that is easy to navigate.
A comprehensive and up-to-date source of drug information online. Providing free, peer-reviewed, accurate and independent data on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines & natural products. Find helpful tools, wallet size personal medication records, mobile applications and more.
Electronic Reference Books
Medical books that you can read online.
Science in Context is an engaging online experience for those seeking contextual information on hundreds of today's most significant science topics. The new solution merges Gale's authoritative reference content with full-text magazines, academic journals, news articles, experiments, images, videos, audio files and links to vetted websites organized into a user-friendly portal experience.
Search by keywords for diseases and disorders.
Journals
Includes medical and consumer periodicals, health newsletters, reference books and pamphlets.
Search scholarly, peer-reviewed journals to research medical disciplines including allied health & nursing. Primarily useful for people in the medical profession.
Provides articles from general reference publications dating as far back as 1975. Includes material from reference books, biographies, primary source documents, and an image collection of photos, maps and flags.
Heart Disease
Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (COPD)
Cancer
Stroke
Drug Information Resources
- This unique website is designed to help you, the consumer, avoid mistakes when taking medicines.
- Drugs.com is the largest, most widely visited, independent medicine information website available on the Internet.
National Institute on Drug Abuse
- NIDA is the largest supporter of the world's research on drug abuse and addiction.
Information for Consumers from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Drug Information Portal
Drug Information Portal-National Library of Medicine
- Aggregating a variety of resources, the Drug Information Portal allows access to information on more than 60,000 prescription and non-prescription drugs, supplements, and other agents.
More Drug Information Resources for Consumers
Advertising
Dietary Supplements
Drug Approval
Drug Abuse
Financial Assistance
Health Literacy
Vaccines
Health Care Services
- 2-1-1 Oklahoma as a sustainable, easy-access system for information and referral to community services for those who need help and those who provide help.
Oklahoma Department of Human Services
Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation Services
Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH)
- Statewide Information and Referral for Oklahomans with Special Needs
Oversight and Licensure Boards
Find a doctor and search licenses and complaints.
National Data and Statistics
America's Health Rankings-United Health Foundation
- Comprehensive state-by-state study of our nation’s health.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- CDC works 24/7 to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S.
State Health Facts-Kaiser Family Foundation
- Trusted information on national health issues.
WISQARS--Web-based Injury Statistics Query and Reporting System
- Interactive online database that provides fatal and nonfatal injury, violent death, and cost of injury data from a variety of trusted sources.
Oklahoma Data and Statistics
Oklahoma State Department of Health
- The OK2Share system allows users to query public health datasets directly without going through the request process.
- The Oklahoma Health Improvement Plan (OHIP): Bringing Oklahoma's health into focus.
Training Tips for Working with Older Adults
Aging Resources
More Health Resources for Older Adults
- Explore a range of services and supports you may need to meet your personal care needs.
- The Alzheimer's Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer's care, support and research.
- CDC's Healthy Aging Program and The Healthy Brain Initiative to promote independence and wellbeing.
- Local information, referral resources, and contact information for state and local agencies, from the United States' Health and Human Services Department.
- Created by the American Geriatrics Society's Health in Aging Foundation, to provide consumers and caregivers with up-to-date information on health and aging.
National Association of Area Agencies on Aging
- Umbrella organization advocating to ensure that needed resources and support services are available to older Americans.
- Explore everything NCOA has to offer for professionals, older adults, caregivers and advocates.
- Find science-based info on health, aging and Alzheimer's. Get research news and funding opportunities from the National Institute on Aging at NIH.
National Institute of Health-Senior Health
- Health and wellness information for older adults from the National Institutes of Health.