American Association of Retired People
This nonprofit organization is geared towards people 50 and older, but there is plenty of useful information for patients and caregivers of all ages. The health information provided includes information on conditions and treatments, caregiving tips, health care reform, alternative medicines, drug and supplements and more. Information is available online in Spanish.
American College of Medical Genetics
Search their database of Genetics Clinics to find a geneticist. If you want a telehealth appointment, their directory lists if a clinic offers telemedicine services. Additionally, you can select “Show clinics with no physical locations” to find clinics that only offer services via telemedicine.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
800-232-4636
This government agency is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Information is available on hundreds of diseases, injuries, and conditions. Find tips on healthy living, health issues relating to travel, and more. Specific health issues for various populations is available, including lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT), minorities, disabled people, older people, infants, teens. 24/7 hour operators can refer you to local hotlines, clinics, counseling and support groups (800-232-4636). Information is available online in Spanish.
Choosing Wisely by the American Board of Internal Medicine
This website, and their app, provides information to help patients choose care that is 1) Supported by evidence; 2) Not duplicative of other tests or procedures already received; 3) Free from harm; 4) Truly necessary. You can search by keyword to learn about medical practices that lack evidence, cause harm, or for which better approaches exist.
Cure Together
This free site gives you access to millions of patients’ ratings comparing real world performance of various treatments for over 630 conditions.
Genetic and Rare Disease (GARD) Information Center
This site offers reliable, up-to-date information on genetic and rare diseases. Additionally, patients and families can contact a GARD specialist for further information. Information is also provided in Spanish.
Google Scholar
Use this search engine to find research articles on illnesses and injuries. This tool is helpful if you are interested in learning about the latest research. However, note that these are technical articles, not written for non-medical professionals, so help understanding the material might be needed.
Health Central
The mission of Health Central is to empower people to improve and take control of their health and well-being. The site provides information on 35 condition-specific and wellness topics, including heart disease, HIV/AIDS, asthma, COPD, diabetes, migraine, depression, and sexual health. Health tools include a symptom checker.
Johns Hopkins Medicine
This site is run by the well respected Johns Hopkins Medicine. Their health library contains information on diseases and conditions, tests and procedures, prevention guidelines and more. You can sign up for Your Health, their free monthly e-newsletter, to get the latest health news, research discoveries and more.
Mayo Clinic
This site provides the expert advice from more than 3,300 physicians, researchers and scientists from the Mayo Clinic. Find comprehensive guides on hundreds of conditions, explore possible causes of your symptoms, look up information on prescription and over-the-counter medications, learn about tests and procedures and find tips on healthy living. Sign up for a free newsletter with the latest in health information from the Mayo Clinic.
Medline Plus
This site is a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health. Read about symptoms, causes, treatments and prevention for over 800 diseases, illnesses and conditions. Find information on prescription, and over-the-counter medications, as well as facts on herbal and supplements. Learn general health and wellness tips. Information is available online in Spanish.
Merck Manual Home Edition for Patients and Caregivers
Find information on medical topics, symptoms, drugs, procedures, news and more, written in everyday language with accompanying photographs.
My Healthfinder
This site is managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Use the health encyclopedia to look up over 1,600 health conditions to find links to sites providing educational information and support. Information is available online in Spanish.
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the U.S. medical research agency, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The site offers information on a large range of health topics, including information on specific diseases and conditions, treatment options, as well as health issues specific to men, women, minorities and seniors. Subscribe to receive e-mail updates or any of over 45 health related topics. Information is available online in Spanish.
National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD)
800-999-6673
This nonprofit organization helps patients with rare disorders and assists the organizations that serve them. The organization provides reports on more than 1,200 rare disorders and over 2,000 patient organizations and other sources of help. A $450 yearly subscription fee allows access to all of the detailed reports; however, many hospitals, universities, and libraries subscribe to the service and allow public access. For a yearly $30 membership fee, you can obtain three free reports from the database/year, access a networking program, receive a newsletter and more.
National Society of Genetic Counselors
You can search their database of genetics counseling providers by location, name, institution, type of practice, or specialty. Additionally, you can click on the “Via Telehealth” button to find a provider who offers telemedicine appointments.
NetWellness
This nonprofit site was created by medical and health professional faculty at 3 top U.S. universities. Over 500 medical professionals contribute to the site. Information is provided on hundreds of health conditions, including definitions, symptoms, treatment options, medications, and caring for the patient.
Office of Rare Diseases Research
http://RareDiseases.info.nih.gov/
This organization is a part of the U.S. National Institutes of Health. The site includes information on rare diseases, as well as clinical and research trials. There are links to resources and reports. Information is available online in Spanish.
PCORI – Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute
This nonprofit organization’s goal is to improve the quality and relevance of evidence available to help patients, caregivers, clinicians and others make better-informed health decisions. They have funded hundreds of studies that compare healthcare options to learn which works best, given patients’ circumstances and preferences. Although there are limited topics covered by their research, it is worth checking this site since they provide unique, important evidence.
PubMed
This resource site is managed by the National Center for Biotechnology Information, at the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Search this vast database with over 22 million citations and abstracts, with topics in biomedicine, health, behavioral sciences and more.
PyschCentral
This nonprofit organization is the largest and oldest independent mental health and psychology network. Since 1995, it has been run by mental health professionals, providing information and support groups. The site provides information regarding symptoms, treatment options, and more on over 100 mental health conditions, including ADHD, agoraphobia, acute stress disorder, alcohol/substance abuse, autism, depression, eating disorders, panic disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia, and more. You can find information on thousands of resources sorted by condition and topic; use their Find A Therapist tool to locate a therapist in your area; read the latest news on mental health topics; sign up for a free weekly newsletter; join free online forums; learn about psychiatric drugs; and more.
Smart Patients
This free online community offers information about treatments and clinical trials for over 75 conditions. You can also share your story and learn from others.
WebMD
This site provides information on a wide range of diseases, including symptoms, treatment options, research updates, risk factors and prevention. Find information on medications, diet, exercise, mental health, general health and wellness tips, and more.
