Health & Medicine

The Health Insurance Reform Legislation 2010 -- Affordable Care Act

Healthcare.gov
Find public and private health insurance options, learn about your rights as a consumer and how to navigate the health insurance marketplace.

Health and Medicine E-Book Collection (Gale Virtual Reference Library)
Encyclopedias on Alternative Medicine, Cancer, Genetic Disorders, Drugs and Addictive Substances, Mental Disorders, Neurological Disorders, Nursing and Allied Health, Senior Health, Surgery: A Guide for Patients and Caregivers, etc. and other health related reference books such as: Health and Wellness: Illness Among Americans, Health Care System, Infectious Diseases, Medicine, Health, and Bioethics, Weight in America: Obesity, Eating Disorders.
Outside the Library, this resource is only available to Lincolnwood Library card holders.

Northwestern Memorial Hospital Health Information
A comprehensive, authoritative, easy to navigate health site. Residents of Chicago metropolitan area can search medical e-books by selecting "Virtual Library".

AMA DoctorFinder
Find a Dentist
Eldercare Locator
A service from the U.S. Administration on Aging which connects older adults and their caregivers with state and local area agencies and community-based organizations.
To speak to an Eldercare Locator information specialist call: 1-800-677-1116
Leslie's List
Leslie's List provides information to help people, especially the uninsured and underinsured, find more affordable medications and health care services in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Medicare's Nursing Home Section
Nursing Home search and comparison.
Dirline Database Directory of Health Organizations and Health Hotlines
Doctor Directory
Links to doctors, hospitals, health insurance plans, and medical schools.
Health Hotlines from National Library of Medicine
Toll-free numbers to health-related organizations.
Midwest Eye; Ophthalmologist Locator
Illinois Association of Ophthalmology.

Illinois Department of Financial & Professional Regulation
See The Division of Professional Regulation to check if a physician is licensed or has a disciplinary record.
Cook County Circuit Court
The Electronic Docket Search lets you check lawsuits filed against a doctor.
Is Your Doctor Certified? (ABMS)
American Board of Medical Specialties provides this free look-up service. Registration is required and number of searches are limited to five per day.
Hospital Report Card & Consumer Guide
This site is the result of the Hospital Report Card Act passed in 2003 that requires all Illinois hospitals to report nurse staffing, infection prevention measures and hospital acquired infections data to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The site will allow consumers to find average costs for specific medical procedures, nurse staffing levels at hospitals and general quality of care information. Over the next year more information will be added.

Go Ask Alice! (from Columbia University)
Advice for teens and college students on variety of topics. Teens may ask Alice about relationships, nutrition and diet, drugs, sex, alcohol, stress, etc.

American Institute for Cancer Research
Dietary advice, brochures, recommended books, news, recipes, and more.
National Cancer Institute
Primary U.S. agency for cancer research, providing information to the public and medical professionals. Searchable Clinical Cancer Trial database.
OncoLink
One of the most comprehensive cancer sites on the Web sponsored by University of Pennsylvania Cancer Center. Includes clinical trials, global resources, how to deal with cancer treatment and more.

American Academy of Pediatrics
KidsHealth
Provides up-to-date, doctor-approved, jargon-free health information about children, from birth through adolescence. Individualized content for parents, kids, and teens.

Mayo Clinic's Health Oasis
Search by keyword or drug prescription.
MEDLINEplus
Drug facts from the National Library of Medicine. Information available in Spanish.
PDR Net for Consumers
Good site for over-the-counter and prescription drug information.

American Society for Clinical Nutrition
Nutrition.gov
Information from the government on food and nutrition, including personal eating plan with the foods and amounts that are right for you.
USDA Food and Nutrition Information Center
The National Library of Agriculture puts out dietary guidelines and information on herbal & dietary supplements, food safety, food allergies, eating disorders and nutrition as related to certain illnesses.

Genetics Home Reference
Information about diseases that run in families provided by by the National Library of Medicine.

Consumer Health Information in Many Languages Resources
Information provided by by the National Library of Medicine in several different languages.
Health A to Z
This site, developed by healthcare professionals, is particular strong on interactive tools.
Healthfinder
A gateway to selected health and human services information resources provided by U.S. government and other organizations serving the public interest.
InteliHealth
In partnership with Harvard Medical School and Aetna, this website covers all aspects of health and is grouped into four main areas: Diseases & Conditions, Healthy Lifestyle, Your Health and Look It Up (includes interactive tools).
Mayo Clinic's Health Oasis
Medical news and articles.
MEDLINEPlus
Information provided by the National Library of Medicine. Includes written and oral tutorials on various diseases, as well as drug information. Text available in several different languages.
Merck & Co.
Click on "Merck Manuals" if you wish to search The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy (aimed at professionals), The Merck Manual of Medical Information Home Edition (written for the general public), The Merck Manual of Geriatrics or The Merck Veterinary Manual.
PubMed
Free digital archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature from the National Library of Medicine.
WebMDHealth
Medical news on just about every topic.

Health Videos -- HowStuffWorks
Watch short, explanatory videos on a wide range of health topics.

FindCounseling.com
Search for a therapist, browse mental health resources or read psychology news.
Mental Health Association of Illinois
Current, accurate information about mental health and mental illnesses.

Office of Minority Health Resource Center
A national research and referral service on minority health issues.
Selected Patient Information Resources in Asian Languages -- SPIRAL
A multi-language health information site for both physicians and patients from Tufts University's Health Sciences Library. Detailed health information in Chinese, Hmong, Khmer, Korean, Laotian, Thai and Vietnamese.