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flu and the latest news about state and national preparedness efforts.
Health InfoCenter
Do you need information about medical or
drug assistance? Want to learn how to eat healthy on a budget? BCPL can help.
Alternative
Medicine
Alternative Medicine
Foundation (local interest)
Maryland non-profit provides responsible information about alternative medicine
through resource guides and databases.
Alternative Massage
An introduction to the massage therapy field.
Center for Integrative
Medicine
(local interest)
University of Maryland's program includes patient care, research, education
and informatics.
Herbal
Medicine Center
Information on herbs and their uses.
Herbal Safety
From the University of Texas, herbal fact sheets and education
National
Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine
A division of the NIH, this site provides
information on alternative medicine, including databases and links to other
sites
Associations and Support Groups
Alzheimer's
Association - Greater Maryland Chapter
(local interest)
Over 40 support groups in MD. Caregivers and family members meet to share
their feelings, problems, and solutions to the challenge of caregiving. Respite
care available at some meetings. For
more information and referral to a group near you call 410-561-9099.
American
Dental Association
Information on oral health
issues, searchable directory of dentists and other oral health
professionals.
American
Diabetes Association - Maryland
(local interest)
Funds research, publishes scientific findings, provides information and other
services to people with diabetes, their families, health care professionals and
the public and advocates for scientific research and for the rights of people
with diabetes. Enter your zip code or city
and state to find local information.
American
Heart Association - Maryland
(local interest)
Information and resources available to people with heart disease and other
heart-related conditions, as well as stroke. Treatment options, advocacy, diet
and nutrition information for a healthy lifestyle, links to other heart
health-related organizations.
Baltimore Cancer
Support Group
This support group for cancer patients, caregivers and the bereaved offers
opportunities to exchange ideas, feelings, information and encouragement in a safe, confidential setting. Medical professionals often participate with the group. For the
first half hour the entire group meets together. Then, members break into
sub-groups of patients, caregivers, teenagers and bereaved. For more information call
410-668-1762.
Mondays 7-8:30 PM at St. Timothy's Lutheran Church. Thursday 7-8:30 PM at St. Peter's Lutheran Church.
Baltimore Stroke Club
This organization runs a support group for caregivers. They meet once a month at Good
Samaritan Hospital. For more information call 443-444-4663.
Caring Connections
Caring Connections, a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care
Organization (NHPCO), is a national consumer engagement initiative to
improve care at the end of life. It provides free resources and information
to help people make decisions about end-of-life care and services.
Directory
of Information Resources Online (DIRLINE)
National Library of Medicine's online directory containing information for
over 8,000 health organizations
Learn CPR
CPR information and training resources, including online video
demonstrations.
National Rehabilitation Information Center
(NARIC)
Powerful gateway to an
abundance of disability- and rehabilitation-oriented information organized in a
variety of formats designed to make it easy for users to find and use.. As a
leader in providing interactive information to the disability and rehabilitation
community, NARIC's Web site continues this tradition by putting the information
into the hands of the users through online publications, searchable databases,
and timely reference and referral data.
Smoking Cessation
From the Baltimore County Health Department, programs around the county
Diet,
Nutrition and Fitness
AARP
Wellness Center
Information for seniors on
health, exercise, wellness, nutrition and other health-related topics.
Choose to Move
Increase physical activity and reduce risk of heart disease with this free
program for women from the American Heart Association
Eat Smart, Be Fit, Maryland!
(local interest)
A web site from the University of Maryland for Maryland residents who want
to learn more about healthy eating and being active. It includes information
on healthy cooking, food safety, raising healthy kids, maintaining weight
and resources and events for all Maryland counties.
ExRx on the Net
Extensive information on cardiovascular and strength training, including
video instruction on proper exercise technique.
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
The NCIPC works to reduce morbidity,
disability, mortality, and costs associated with injuries.
Tox Town
Learn about connections between chemicals, the environment and the public's
health.
Weight
Control
from the NIH, a comprehensive guide to news,
research, and organizations dedicated to weight management
Finding Medical Services
AMA Physician Select
Information on licensed physicians in the
U.S.
American Hospital Directory
Provides on-line data for over 6,000 hospitals. Database is built from Medicare
claims data, cost reports, and other public use files obtained from the federal
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Look up hospitals according to
criteria you specify, such as hospital characteristics, services provided,
financial reports, costs and charges, etc.
Board of Physician Quality
Assurance of Maryland (local interest)
Information about physicians licensed in the
state of Maryland.
Centers for
Medicare and Medicaid Services
Federal agency that
administers Medicare, Medicaid and the State Children's Health Insurance
Program (SCHIP).
Home Health Compare
Medicare published data comparing the quality of
the nation's home-care providers.
Hospital Compare
Information on how well area hospitals care for their adult patients with
certain medical conditions.
Maryland
Hospital Performance Evaluation Guide
(local interest)
Guide designed to assist consumers
and their families in obtaining quality hospital based care.
Maryland Nursing Home Performance Evaluation Guide
(local interest)
The Maryland Nursing Home
Performance Evaluation Guide is
designed to assist consumers and their families in making decisions about
selecting a nursing home. The Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC), in
consultation with the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene and the Department of Aging,
produced this guide with the assistance of experts in long-term care,
representatives of the nursing home industry in Maryland, as well as nursing
home advocates and long-term care ombudsmen.
Maryland Physician Search
(local interest)
From the Board of Physician Quality Assurance
2008/2009 Health Plan Performance Report -Maryland Health Care Commission
[PDF] (local interest)
Provides information to help evaluate HMOs and PPOs operating in Maryland. For
individuals who are deciding which health plan to join, or for employers who
are choosing which HMO/PPO to offer their employees.
National
Committee for Quality Assurance - Health Plan Report Card
An interactive tool designed to help you find the health plan that's right
for you.
Nursing
Home Compare
Medicare's five-star rating system for nursing homes. A downloadable checklist
covers such important topics as: Resident appearance; Living spaces; Staff;
Menus and Food; Resident rooms and Activities. It suggests some 50 questions to
ask administrators, staff and residents.
Taking Care of Mom and Dad: Understanding Choices, Options and Services
(local interest)
Program descriptions, eligibility requirements and contact information for a
wide variety of services to help older relatives and friends get services, resources and information needed to remain active and independent
in Baltimore County, presented by the Baltimore County Department of Aging and
the Baltimore County Commission on Aging.
TheCaringSpace
A
resource to connect caregivers to families and individuals in need of assistance
and health services in their home. Easy registration, powerful search tools, and
a locally-based roster of caregivers makes this a powerful tool.
Transplant Resource Center of MD (local interest)
A not-for-profit health service
organization that provides organ procurement and tissue bank services to the
citizens of Maryland. Organ transplant information and a donor card
to print out and complete.
Medical Centers and
Institutions
Greater Baltimore Medical Center
(GBMC) (local interest)
A non-profit health care organization, licensed and accredited by the Joint
Commission on Accreditation for Health Care Organizations (JCAHO).
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center
(local interest)
A full-service JCAHO-accredited teaching hospital and home to one of Maryland's
most comprehensive neonatal intensive care units, a sleep disorders center, an
area-wide trauma center, the state's only regional burn center, and a geriatrics
center that has a national reputation in the field of aging.
Johns Hopkins
Hospital and Health System
(local interest)
Recognized as a leader in patient care, medical research and teaching, with
three acute-care hospitals and several outreach programs for local, national and
international patient activities. Home to the:
Kennedy Krieger Institute (local interest)
In addition to providing inpatient care in the 70-bed specialty pediatric
hospital, the Institute has multiple day treatment, outpatient and home-based
services for children and adolescents with disorders of the brain, either
congenital or acquired through injury or illness.
LifeBridge
Health
(local interest)
Regional health care organization based in Northwest Baltimore City and
County, serving the mid-Atlantic area through hospitals, outpatient centers and
wellness enterprises.
MedStar Health
(local interest)
A non-profit, community-based healthcare organization serving the Baltimore and
Washington region.
In the Baltimore area:
Mercy Medical Center (local interest)
A full-service university-affiliated medical facility, delivering a full range
of health care services including internal medicine, obstetrics, pediatrics,
urology, cardiology, gastroenterology, oncology, women's services, cosmetic
surgery, ophthalmology, hospice, rehabilitative care, and emergency medicine.
Sheppard Pratt Health System (local interest)
A private, non-profit behavioral health organization that provides a full range
of services in a variety of settings to meet the needs of children, adolescents,
adults and older adults.
Spring Grove Hospital Center
(local interest)
Second oldest continuously operating psychiatric hospital in the United States,
providing inpatient and residential
psychiatric services to adult patients.
St. Agnes HealthCare
(local interest)
Full-service community teaching hospital with residency programs in a number of
medical/surgical specialties. Also supports a growing number of off-site
facilities including the St. Agnes Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Ellicott
City, and the Seton Imaging Center.
St. Joseph Medical Center (local interest)
A 308-bed acute care, not-for-profit, regional medical center offering a
comprehensive range of health services for both inpatients and outpatients.
University of Maryland Medical System
A private, not-for-profit hospital system with 1,652 licensed beds and more than
9,000 employees. It provides a complete range of inpatient and outpatient
services to more than 300,000 patients a year.
Medical Assistance
Baltimore County Partner's Health Improvement Program (PartnerS.H.I.P)
(local interest)
Provides access to affordable quality health care to uninsured/underinsured
Baltimore County residents through referral services, community resources, and
education programs.
Maryland Medical
Assistance Program - Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
This site provides access to health care services for many of the State’s
low-income residents. Individuals may be eligible for services through the
Maryland Medicaid Program, the Maryland Children’s Health Program or the
Maryland Primary Adult Care Program (PAC), depending upon income and other
factors
Medical Conditions
and Diseases
American
Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology
Physician referral
directory, patient/public resource center, member/medical professional
resource center.
Autism.com
The Autism Research Institute (ARI), a non-profit organization
has
devoted its work to conducting research, and to disseminating the results of
research, on the
triggers of autism and on
methods of diagnosing and treating autism. We provide research-based
information to parents and professionals around the world.
Baltimore County Commission on Disabilities
(local interest)
Contact information for services and issues regarding accessibility, advocacy,
counseling, education, employment, emergency assistance, equipment, housing,
income, legal assistance, medical services, recreation, transportation,
parking, and other services for adults and children with disabilities.
Cancer.gov
National Cancer Institute homepage, with research and statistics, news and
clinical trials
Center
Watch (Clinical Trials Listing Service)
Listing of clinical trials being conducted in research
centers throughout the U.S.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Health information, data
and statistics, alphabetical listing of diseases and health topics,
other health resources.
Children With Disabilities
National information and referral center that provides information on
disabilities and disability-related issues for families, educators, and other
professionals.
Disabilities Resources
Information to help people with disabilities live independently.
HIV / AIDS Web
Resources and Information for Maryland
(local interest)
Hotlines, medical and legal assistance programs, medication resources,
support groups and other information for Marylanders.
iwannaknow.org
Health information for teens, plus answers to questions about teen sexual
health and sexually transmitted diseases.
Maryland Flu
Preparedness (local interest)
"Directory of
Maryland Health Departments", seasonal flu information and the
Maryland Pandemic
Influenza Plan from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.
Maryland Poison Center (local interest)
The Maryland Poison Center is certified by the American Association of Poison
Control Centers (AAPCC) as a regional poison center providing poisoning triage,
treatment, education, and prevention services to all Marylanders. This service
is staffed by pharmacists and nurses, who have specialized clinical toxicology
training, 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Mental
Health Net
Information on depression,
anxiety, panic attacks, chronic fatigue syndrome and substance abuse.
The Merck
Manual Home Edition
Lists medical conditions and disease, as well as
articles about health issues.
Mesothelioma
One-stop resource features information on asbestos, mesothelioma, and other
cancers caused by asbestos exposure. Emphasis is on how to avoid exposure to
asbestos. Extensive treatment options are given. Sponsored by the Mesothelioma
Cancer Center.
National
Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information
Extensive information on addiction,
behavior and treatment.
National Institutes of Health -
Office of Rare Diseases
Information for patients and their families with rare diseases and about NIH-
and ORD-sponsored biomedical research and scientific conferences.
Reproductive
Health
(local interest)
Information and links to Maryland resources,
from the Maryland Family Planning and Reproductive Health Program
Sexually Transmitted
Diseases
Facts and answers about STDs from the American Social Health Association.
Spine-health.com
Resources and articles on topics related to back pain and neck pain.
Medical Journals and Online Resources
Community
Information Directory
(local interest)
Search Baltimore County Public Library's database for health-related organizations
and programs that serve Baltimore
County residents. Searchable by keyword, agency name, or subject.
Consumer Health Catalog
Download or order
health-related catalogs and brochures from the Federal Citizen Information
Center.
Drug
Pricing Calculator
(local interest)
From Maryland's Attorney General, a calculator for pharmacy prices for
common prescription drugs.
Health and Medical Science
From the Internet Public Library, covers mental, physical and preventative health.
Health and
Medicine
From the Librarians Index to the Internet, annotated sites on a variety of health topics.
Health Hotlines
Online database of health-related organizations with toll-free telephone
numbers. Includes address and web site information for each and links to
information in Spanish. Searchable by subject or keyword. Provided by the
National Library of Medicine
Health Source
Databases
The
Health
Source Consumer edition provides full text for nearly 300 consumer health,
nutrition, and fitness periodicals. Also has full text for nearly 1,200
health-related pamphlets, a medical dictionary, drug information and health
research books. The
Health Source Nursing/Academic editions provide nearly 600 scholarly full
text journals covering many medical disciplines with an emphasis on nursing and
allied health. Indexing and abstracting for an additional 50 journals is also
featured.
Available
online as an electronic Reference Book.
Discover the information by clicking the hyperlinks. Can be printed, emailed
or downloaded. These books do not have to be checked out or downloaded, and
are always available for use either in the library or from home. A
library card registered with Baltimore County Public Library is needed
Maryland
Medical Information Services (local interest)
Links to medical
dictionaries, National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of
Health, and other medical resources.
Maryland
Mental Health Online (local interest)
Latest mental health news,
links to support groups and medical resources for both children and adults.
Medicare
The official U.S.
Government site for Medicare information, including publications and doctor
directory.
MEDLINEplus
Health information from the National Library of Medicine. Extensive
information from the National Institute of Health and other sources on over 500
diseases and conditions. Lists of hospitals and physicians, a medical
encyclopedia and dictionaries, health information in Spanish, extensive
information on prescription and nonprescription drugs, health information from
the media, and links to thousands of clinical trials.
Available online as an electronic Reference Book.
Discover the information by clicking the hyperlinks. Can be printed, emailed
or downloaded. These books do not have to be checked out or downloaded, and
are always available for use either in the library or from home. A
library card registered with Baltimore County Public Library is needed
National Institutes of Health-Health
Information
General information on a wide variety of health topics. Sponsored by the
National Institutes of Health. .
National
Women's Health Information Center
Health information and referral center for women.
PubMed
A service of the National
Library of Medicine, providing access to over 11 million citations from
MEDLINE and additional life science journals
SeniorHealth.gov
A service of the NIH, this site focuses on health topics of particular
interest to older people.
Medicines and Drug Information
AARP
Articles and links to information on Medicare prescription drug coverage
from AARP.
Baltimore County Department of Aging - Medicare Prescription Drug Program
(local interest)
Details about the
program and options. Links to additional sources of information.
Baltimore County Prescription
Discount Card (local interest)
A program to provide a discount off the retail price of prescription drugs.
Available to all Baltimore County residents.
Maryland
Board of Pharmacy (local interest)
Links to FDA alerts and notices,
drug-interaction information, pending health legislation, medical news and
information, consumer education, and other drug-related
information. Verify pharmacist licenses.
Maryland Senior Prescription Drug Assistance Program (local
interest)
A subsidy program established by the Maryland Health Insurance Plan (MHIP)
through the Medicare Modernization Act and the Health Insurance Safety Net
Act of 2002, to provide premium assistance to moderate-income Maryland
residents for the purchase of outpatient prescription drugs and who are
eligible for Medicare and are enrolled in a prescription drug plan.
National Institute on Drug Abuse
The latest scientific
information on drug abuse and treatment strategies.
Prescription Drug
Finder (local interest)
The price of prescription drugs may vary from pharmacy to pharmacy. The
Attorney General created this website to help Marylanders comparison shop
among pharmacies, since drug prices generally are not advertised or even
displayed.
RxList
Information on brand name and generic
drugs. Includes warnings and adverse reactions.
Substance
Abuse Treatment Facility Locator
An on-line resource for locating drug and alcohol abuse treatment programs.
General Information
Baltimore County Department of Health
(local interest)
Links to information about health services for Baltimore County residents,
locations of local health centers, answers to frequently asked health questions,
health awareness and education, regional health statistics, and other
health-related information.
Healthfinder
Government and nonprofit health and human services information.
Kids
Health
Doctor-approved health information about children from before birth through
adolescence.
Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
(local interest)
Regulates health care providers, facilities, and organizations. Consumers can
access to a wide range of informational and educational health care-related
topics from local, state and federal sources. Links to the Division of Vital
Records for information on obtaining Birth Certificates and other records.
Maryland Health Careers
(local interest)
From the Maryland Hospital Association, a guide to exploring health careers
Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical
Service Systems (local interest)
State and local information on emergency medical care
and other emergency medicine resources.
MayoClinic.com
Medical and health information and tools from the Mayo Clinic. Sponsored by
the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
MealCall
Meals on Wheels and other senior meal programs can be found here, or one can
be located for you.
Quackwatch
Find out about health-related frauds,
myths, fads and fallacies.
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This page is provided by the Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, Maryland USA.
The text version of this page was last revised on
01 June 2009.
The graphics version of this page was last revised on
01 June 2009.
You are welcome to provide feedback.