National & International Organizations
American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
http://www.ashp.org/menu/InformationFor/Patients.aspx
ASHP is a national professional association that represents pharmacists who practice in hospitals, health maintenance organizations, long-term care facilities, home care, and other components of health care systems. They have offer an extensive information for patients page which offers tips and tools for safe medication practices and step-by-step instructions on how to administer the different forms of medication.
Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality
AHRQ is a free of charge, public national database which receives its data from the state government licensing board. The specific options available on the website include:
-Clinical information, such as effective health care, preventive services, and clinical practice guidelines
-Funding opportunities
-Research findings
-Specific population information
-Public health preparedness
-Consumer and patient information
-Data and surveys
-Quality and Patient Safety
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS)
In the patient section of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, you will find information mainly concerning orthopaedics, which is the study of problems and solutions involving the skeletal system, muscles, joints, and ligaments. Options include:
-Arthritis
-Joint Replacement
-Osteoporosis
-Patient-Centered Care
-Patient Stories
-Tumors
-Women’s Health
American Association for Justice: See Association of Trial Lawyers of America
American Health Information Management Association
AHIMA, which stands for American Health Information Management Association, is an association of HIM (Health Information Management) and is composed of 50,000 members whose main concern is to provide the public with the best healthcare possible. AHIMA was started in 1928 to ensure better quality of medical records, and is still devoted to assisting the public.
American Hospital Association
Founded in 1898, AHA, or American Hospital Association, represents many of the countrys’ hospitals, healthcare networks, and the patient and family responsibilities that accompany them. It is comprised of nearly 5,000 hospitals, networks, and healthcare providers, and also includes 37,000 individual members. The American Hospital Association works to meet members’ needs and opinions through representation and advocacy activities.
American Medical Association
The American Medical Association (AMA) strives to help physicians with professional resources, an agenda, and a newsroom; however, there is a patient section of the site that includes a helpful Doctor Finder which has information on about 690,000 physicians in the United States. The Doctor Finder section has Frequently Asked Questions, Search Hints, and Member Benefits and Services.
Association of Trial Lawyers of America
The Association of Trial Lawyers of America (ATLA), also known as American Association for Justice, is the world’s largest trial bar and focuses on ensuring rights and justice for victims. It provides information on the civil justice system and the right to trial by jury.
Center for Medical Consumers
The Center for Medical Consumers focuses on both national and statewide attempts at better healthcare. It is a non-profit advocacy organization that receives its funds from private donators and subscriptions from newsletters. It is also supported by the Judson Memorial Church. The website contains many helpful articles concerning patient safety.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is part of the Department of Health and Human Services, which is the main organization in the United States concerning patient safety and human services. The website includes Health and Safety Topics, Publications and Products, and Data and Statistics.
Citizens For Health
Citizens for Health is a national, non-profit consumer advocacy group, and focuses on making healthy choices concerning diet, drugs, medicinal herbs, and wellness as a whole. There are many helpful news articles, a resource center, and a consumer center.
Compassionate Friends
The goal of Compassionate Friends is to help families and family friends grieve in a healthy way after the death of a child. Information is provided on how to be supportive to those in mourning. Compassionate Friends is a non-profit and national support organization that hopes to aid grief-stricken parents, siblings, grandparents, and others.
ECRI Institute
ECRI Institute is an independent nonprofit with more than 40 years of experience researching the best approaches to improving patient care. They provide unbiased, evidence-based research, information, and advice on patient safety, quality and risk management; emerging healthcare technologies; and medical devices.
Families USA
Families USA is non-profit, national, and non-partisan. It strives to provide fair and affordable healthcare for everyone in the United States. On the website you will find issue areas, such as Medicare, prescriptions, and minority health, as well as resources and resource centers.
Healthfinder.gov
Healthfinder.gov is a government website where patients and consumers can find information and tools for healthy living and healthcare safety. Healthfinder.gov has resources on a wide range of health topics selected from over 1,600 government and non-profit organizations to bring you “the best, the latest, and the most reliable health information on the Internet”. It has strict quality guidelines and therefore does not accept advertisements or endorse products. Instead, it offers only information and resources that has been both reviewed and selected. It offers an encylopedia of terms, personal health tools, the latest in heath news and a section in which patients can find services such as health care providers, health centers, home health care, and public libraries, as well as a searchable and browsable health organization directory either by name or health topic.
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement, or IHI, is a non-profit organization that is based in Cambridge, MA. Its main focus is to improve world-wide healthcare. People viewing the website can search through programs, topics, community, workspace, results, and product areas of the site.
Medicare
The website for Medicare offers numerous resources, which include billing and publications, and there is both Medicaid enrollment and appeals. Also, the website provides a participating physician directory and a good amount of information on prescription drugs.
Medwatch
http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/index.html
Medwatch, which is the FDA Safety Information and Adverse Event Reporting Program, is a site available to both healthcare professionals and the public. It offers clinical information and discusses safety problems, such as drugs, medical devices, and biological products.
National Academies Press
The website for the National Academies Press provides reports on patient safety. These reports include catalogs for sale and free online articles. There is also a topic section that includes such topics as agriculture, education, food and nutrition, and health and medicine.
National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ)
The website of the National Association for Healthcare Quality (NAHQ), an organization for healthcare professionals, provides:
-publications
-information on the Journal for Healthcare Quality
-NAHQ plus
-affiliated organizations
-Job Mart
National Center For Patient Safety
Established in 1999, the National Center for Patient Safety (NCPS) strives to create safety within and throughout the Veterans Health Administration. The website of NCPS includes a patient-specific section, along with a newsroom, publications, and resource areas.
National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
The site for the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA) provides information on accreditation programs, along with publication and products, and education and events. There are articles based on assorted healthcare topics.
National Council on Patient Information and Education (NCPIE)
NCPIE is a non-profit coalition striving to stimulate and improve the communication of information on the appropriate use of medicines to consumers and health care professionals. NCPIE develops programs, provides educational resources, and offers services to advance the common mission of its members.
National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP)
National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention (NCC MERP) is an organization working to maximize the safe use of medications and to increase awareness of medication errors through open communication, increased reporting and promotion of medication error prevention strategies.
National Empowerment Center
http://www.power2u.org/what.html
The National Empowerment Center strives to support those who have been diagnosed with any sort of mental illness. The website includes helpful stories of recovery, resources and links, and numerous kinds of publications.
National Family Caregivers Association
http://www.thefamilycaregiver.org/
The National Family Caregivers Association (NFCA) offers support to those who care for the health of loved ones. On the website one can find information on family caregivers, resources, the NFCA store, and initiatives.
National Institutes of Health (NIH)
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and is a Federal agency that supports and aids medical research. On the website, one can browse health categories and find quicklinks to different health topics.
National Quality Forum
The National Quality Forum is private and nonprofit, and measures healthcare quality in the country. The website includes an area to browse healthcare topics, opportunities for members, and publications.
NHS Direct Online (UK)
NHS Direct Online offers not only healthcare online, but also through a telephone healthcare service that is based in the United Kingdom. The website offers:
-a health encyclopedia
-common health questions
-self-help guide
-Mind and body magazine
-useful links
World Health Organization
The World Health Organization, or WHO, is a global attempt to supply premium healthcare to all people. The WHO website explains in greater depth what the World Health Organization is, lists the countries involved, health topics, publications, data and statistics, and programs and projects.