General Medical Resources Prescription Drugs Doctors/Hospitals   Diseases, Illnesses and Conditions Surgery Alternative Medicine/Nutrition Chiropractors  National library of medicine  Medical Books  Mental Health - Teen Depression Resources living will form (advance directives for health care) Frequently Asked Questions OCEAN COUNTY CANCER COALITION RESOURCE GUIDE

The information provided here is not intended nor is implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical problem. The Ocean County Library has no control over the content of other sites and shall not be liable for any damages or injury arising from that content.

  Health Magazines & Medical Journals
Use our magazine/journal database, EbscoHost, to find articles on health and medical issues. Try the following databases for your searches: Health Source: Consumer Edition and Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition. Full-text articles are available.

General Medical Resources

  CDC Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The CDC is a government supersite for medical and health information. Fact sheets, brochures, and CDC journal articles are included on: diseases, chronic conditions, parasitic infections, and virus outbreaks. Health data is made available from the National Center for Health Statistics. The CDC is an excellent resource for travelers’ health. This Web site includes vaccine recommendations for travelers of all ages. Health information is provided about specific countries including any outbreaks that travelers should be concerned with. Cruise ship health information is provided including sanitation inspection scores.

  Healthfinder
An excellent place to start a search for health information on the Internet. It is a service of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that provides access to many government and non-profit organizations’ publications and Web sites. It is especially useful for providing information on specific diseases, health and nutrition, and alternative medicine. 

  HealthyNJ
This web site is provided by the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ). You can find information about diseases and medical conditions and other information useful to stay healthy mentally and physically. Select a medical condition and you can get general information, search medical journal literature about the condition, join a discussion group or chat room on that topic. Click on “Reference Desk” to get a collection of medical web sites including medical dictionaries, medical textbooks, physician directories, and drug information. Information is geared for the consumer as well as health professionals.

  Mayo Clinic Health Oasis
This Web site is directed by a team of Mayo Clinic physicians, scientists, writers, and educators. Medical information provided is from the experience and knowledge of more than 2,000 physicians, nurses, and scientists at the Mayo Clinic. This site uses centers to cover diseases and conditions such as allergies, asthma, Alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, cancer, digestive and heart disease, as well as nutrition, child health, women’s and men’s health. Detailed information is included from Micromedex for prescription and over-the-counter drugs. 

  MedicineNet
Provides easy-to-read, in-depth health information geared to the layman. The material is written, reviewed, and/or edited by board certified physicians. It has current health news from Reuters News Service with doctors’ comments on certain hot topics. Searchable sections of the site include "diseases and conditions," "procedures and tests," "medications" (including over-the-counter as well as prescription drugs), a "medical dictionary," and a section giving tips on "healthy living."

  Medscape
Medscape is an advanced search medical site that offers thousands of full-text medical articles geared for medical professionals. You must register to read the articles and other resources, but registration is free. Medscape also provides access to MEDLINE, a database from the National Library of Medicine. MEDLINE provides abstracts from medical journals.

  New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services
Provides information important to New Jersey residents on a wide variety of topics including: HMO Report Cards, Nursing Home Performance Reports, training and education in medical fields, medical reports on diseases and conditions, and New Jersey health statistics. Click on "Health Topics A-Z" to get information and reports diseases in the news such as SARS and West Nile Virus, Superfund site in New Jersey, Dover Township Health Assessments, and cancer statistics.

  WebMD
Information written and edited by a team of doctors and medical writers you can look up: diseases and conditions, symptoms, prescription and non-prescription drugs, herbs, and diet and nutrition.  Access to "Find-a-Physician" you can search for a doctor from a nationwide database of over 500,000 physicians.  WebMD clinical Trial Services provides information on clinical trials currently recruiting participants and has a "Personalized Trial Matching Service."

Prescription Drugs

See also Web sites in the General Medical Resources section above.

  CenterWatch
This site offers an international listing of more than 41,000 industry and government sponsored clinical trials that are actively recruiting patients. You can search for trials by disease and geographic area, or you can sign up to be notified about new trials. There is a comprehensive listing of drugs that have recently been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. You can also review summaries of ongoing medical research conducted by the National Institutes of Health and the National Cancer Institute.

  HealthSquare
This site provides full text of the PDR Family Guide to Prescription Drugs. Information on more than 1,000 prescription medications covers: why the drug is prescribed, how the medication should be taken, side effects that may occur, special warnings, possible food and drug interactions, recommended dosage and over dosage. Provides photos of some of the medications. Full-text information on medical conditions, diseases and injuries is provided by the PDR Family Guide to Women’s Health and PDR Family Guide of Medical Care.

  Prescription Drug Patient Assistance Programs
Lists companies that provide drugs to physicians free of charge for patients who can not afford to pay for them. Eligibility requirements are listed for each company with a list of products that are covered by the program.

  RxList
RxList has information on over 1,300 prescription drugs including side effects, cost, and clinical trial results. An important feature is that you can search by imprint codes. This is useful if you have an unknown pill and want to find out what it is. This Web site also lists the top 200 prescription drugs sold by year.

Doctors/Hospitals

  AMA Physician Select 
This online doctor finder provides information on more than 690,000 licensed doctors of medicine (MD) and doctors of osteopathy (DO). You can search by name or medical specialty. It will provide information about the physician’s training such as: year of graduation from medical school, school attended, and residency training. It also provides information on what kind of medical practice the physician has, the location of the practice, including a map, and whether the physician is an AMA (American Medical Association) member and board certified. Includes physicians that have been accredited by the American Medical Accreditation Program (AMAP).

  New Jersey Doctor List 
This website officially called New Jersey Health Care Profile is from the New Jersey Dept. of Consumer Affairs and the New Jersey State Board of Medical Examiners. The profiles provide information about a physician's education, licenses, internships, residencies, and board certifications. It also includes any disciplinary actions, hospital restrictions and malpractice payments.

  Medical Society of New Jersey (MSNJ) Physician Finder 
"Physician Finder" is written and published by the Medical Society of New Jersey.  Search by physician last name, specialty, or hospital affiliation.  This service will provide information on a doctor such as: medical school attended, year of graduation, hospital affiliations, and internships and residencies.  Physicians included are members of the Medical Society of New Jersey.

  Physician Licensee Directory
This directory from the State Board of Medical Examiners provides very basic information on doctors. Search a doctor by name and you will get an address, license number, and any disciplinary history.

  Top Doctors in New Jersey
New Jersey Monthly magazine’s listing of the best doctors in New Jersey are compiled in “Top Doctors 2010-2011". It includes 647 of the best doctors in 57 specialties. To get access to the online searchable database of New Jersey's Top Doctors you will need to contact the Information Services Dept. of your local branch of the library.

  Top Doctors in Philadelphia
Philadelphia Magazine’s listing of top doctors for the Philadelphia area comes from publisher Castle Connolly Medical Publishing. There are 57 medical specialties to choose from. It includes physicians from 35 hospitals in the Philadelphia area including New Jersey hospitals in Camden, Burlington, Atlantic, and Gloucester counties such as Cooper Medical Center and Deborah Heart and Lung Center.

  Best Doctors in New York
New York Magazine’s best doctor list includes 1,107 physicians from New York in all five boroughs and several surrounding counties. Covering 66 medical specialties the information comes from Castle Connolly Medical Publishing’s annual guidebook “Top Doctors: New York Metro Area.

  America’s Best Hospitals
This is the online version of America’s Best Hospitals published by U.S. News & World Report every year. U.S. News reviewed over 6,000 hospitals in the United States. Of these only 205 appear in the rankings for best hospitals. Using "Best Hospitals Finder" you can search by specialty, geographical area and by name. You can search for the highest ranked hospitals. This list of the top 17 hospitals in the country is called the U.S. News Honor Roll.

  HealthGrades
Hospital report cards grade the performance of more than 5,000 hospitals. The hospital report card uses a five star rating system to grade performance in cardiac surgery, cardiology, orthopedic surgery, back and neck surgery, pulmonary/respiratory treatment, vascular surgery, and obstetrics for all U.S. hospitals. Physician report cards and nursing home report cards are available for a fee.

Diseases, Illnesses and Conditions

See also Web sites listed in the General Medical Resources section above

 

  Yahoo! Health: Diseases and Conditions
Excellent search engine that provides easy access to many medical and health Web sites. Click on "All diseases and conditions" and you will get an extensive list of diseases and conditions. Each disease or condition lists definitions, causes, symptoms, tests, treatment, and prognosis. Also, links are provided to other Web sites from medical and health organizations, medical university treatment centers, disease information clearinghouses, and other online publications.

Mental Health - Teen Depression Resources

Info for Teens

  Adolescent Resource Guide
This guide is compiled by the Ocean County Health Department and can be used as a reliable source of information for teens about various agencies and organizations. These organizations can assist you in getting help for physical and mental health, pregnancy, family counseling, crisis intervention, and more. Requires Adobe Acrobat to open.

  Teen Health & Wellness: Real Life, Real Answers
Information and advice about Teen Health from the experts. Quizzes, polls, helpful links, stories, and national 24-hour hotlines for teens in crisis.

  Stigma Hurts
"Ocean County Mental Health Awareness Committee is a county-wide coalition of concerned community members dedicated to removing the stigma associated with mental illness. Our mission is to educate Ocean County residents that mental illness is a treatable brain disorder by promoting awareness and advocacy."

  What a Difference a Friend Makes
This site is here for people living with mental illness—and their friends. You can find tools to help in the recovery process, and you can also learn about the different kinds of mental illnesses. Read real life stories and learn how friends can make all the difference.

Info for Families and Professionals

  NJ Governor's Council on Mental Health Stigma
In November of 2004, then Acting Governor Richard J. Codey signed the executive order that created the Governor's Task Force on Mental Health. This task force was formed to rigorously investigate New Jersey's mental health system and develop solutions to the obstacles that currently face those with mental illness – and their families. The mission is to combat mental health stigma and create a better mental health system. This site has an amazing list of relevant resources that can help individuals and families learn how to stop the stigma while helping the ones they love.

  National Alliance on Mental Illness
NAMI NJ is a state affiliate of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which is a nationwide organization with over 220,000 members. They are dedicated to fighting the effects of mental illness upon the lives of individuals and their families through programs of support, education, and advocacy. NAMI NJ conducts mental health outreach/education for the public, professionals, K-12 schools, minorities and for other populations.

  Ocean Mental Health Services
Ocean Mental Health Services, Inc. was founded in 1959 as a private, nonprofit center organized to meet the psychological needs of children and adults in Ocean County. Over the years, OMHS has grown to provide a wide range of programs and services to the residents of central and southern Ocean County, along with specialized services for children, adolescents, and their families.

  Ocean County Family Support Organization
This community organization is made up of parents and other community members whose mission is to ensure that every Ocean County family who has children with special emotional and behavioral needs is given community based resources and support. They also develop trainings, disseminate information, and advocate peer support and education.

Fiction for Teens –
see http://theoceancountylibrary.org/Teens/reads.htm for the
"Feeling Blue – You’re Not Alone" Booklist

Surgery

  YourSurgery.Com
YourSurgery.Com is a multimedia database of operative procedures designed to educate average people about their surgery. This site which charges a fee explains the most commonly performed surgeries using simple diagrams. Each procedure includes information on the concise description of each surgery, possible complications of surgery, postoperative care, and innovations in surgical techniques.

Alternative Medicine/Nutrition

  AskNOAH

  Wholehealthmd.com
Provides advice from physicians about integrating conventional medicine with alternative therapies and supplements. A reference library is included with information on vitamins, minerals, herbs, and other supplements. More than 80 popular alternative medicine therapies are covered including benefits and tips for choosing a practitioner. Look up a medical condition or disease in one of the "healing centers" and you will find a discussion of the condition by a physician with information on the symptoms, treatment, prevention, and supplements recommended. You can e-mail a question to one of the physicians and other experts on staff.

Chiropractors

  State Board of Chiropractors

Medical Books

Looking for information on a specific medical condition, medical test, prescription drug or physician? Many Web sites can be used to find this kind of information. There are also many books available in the Ocean County Library’s collection that provide this information including:

  MEDICAL ENCYCLOPEDIAS
Usually a one-volume book that has a lot of general medical information published by a medical school. Some titles include:

Mayo Clinic Family Health Book, Columbia University Complete Home Medical Guide, Harvard Medical School Family Medical Guide, and Johns Hopkins Family Health Book.

  MEDICAL TREATISES
Medical textbooks written for physicians and medical students. These books contain comprehensive diagnosis and treatment information of diseases and medical conditions. Some titles include:

Cecil Textbook of Medicine, Harrison’s Principles of Internal Medicine, and Current Medical Diagnosis & Treatment.

  PRESCRIPTION DRUG BOOKS
These books provide information on the use of prescription drugs including side effects, recommended dosage, and possible food and drug interactions. The library has books written for the professional and for the layperson. Some titles include:

PDR Physicians’ Desk Reference, Mosby’s GenRx, Drug Facts & Comparisons, Essential Guide to Prescription Drugs, The PDR Family Guide to Prescription Drugs, and The People’s Guide to Deadly Drug Interactions.

  PHYSICIAN DIRECTORIES
These directories include information about physicians such as: medical school attended, residency, internships, and board certified specialties. Some titles include:

The Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Specialists, The Medical Society of New Jersey Physician Membership Directory, and Top Doctors: New York Metro Area and America's Top Doctors.

  MEDICAL TESTS & PROCEDURES BOOKS
These books include information such as: patient preparation, normal ranges, what abnormal ranges may signify, and the approximate cost of each test. Some titles include: 

Yale University School of Medicine Patient’s Guide to Medical Tests, Mosby’s Diagnostic and Laboratory Test Reference, and Laboratory Tests and Diagnostic Procedures.

  SELF- HELP DIRECTORIES
These books contain information about support groups for medical diseases and conditions, mental illness, and addictions. All branches have a directory called The Self-Help Group Directory. Published by New Jersey Self-Help Clearinghouse, this directory covers medical diseases and conditions, mental illness, and addictions. It lists state and national associations with toll-free phone numbers and support groups by county including meeting times and contact people. The Ocean County Resource Directory published by the Ocean County Library lists services available, addresses and phone numbers of county agencies such as the Ocean County Health Department. It also lists local chapters of medical foundations and organizations such as the New Jersey Arthritis Foundation.

  MEDICAL JOURNALS
The Toms River branch subscribes to professional medical journals including titles such as:

JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association), The New England Journal of Medicine, New Jersey Medicine, The American Journal of Nursing, RN, and Nursing.

The library also has books on alternative medicine, children’s health, women’s health, sports injuries, and dentistry. Books on specific diseases such as cancer, thyroid diseases, skin diseases, eye diseases, kidney disease, and gastrointestinal diseases are also available. 

CHECK WITH YOUR LOCAL BRANCH TO SEE IF IT HAS ANY OF THE BOOK TITLES LISTED ABOVE.

Frequently Asked Medical Questions

1. Where can I find information on the prescription drug that I am taking?

2. Where can I find information about my doctor?

1. Where can I find information on the prescription drug that I am taking?

Information about a specific prescription drug including any side effects can be found in several books. The most widely used book, the PDR (Physcian’s Desk Reference) is available at every branch of the library. Other books that can be used to find this information include: Mosby’s GenRx, Drug Facts and Comparisons, and the PDR Family Guide to Prescription Drugs. Many Web sites also have information about prescription drugs and side effects. Healthtouch online provides information about prescription drugs that is geared for the health profession. MedicineNet is one of many Web sites that include information about prescription drugs that is geared for the medical layperson.

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2. Where can I find information about my doctor?

Several books can be used to find out if the doctor is board certified, what medical school he or she attended, and where the doctor did his or her residency and internship. These books include the multivolume Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified Specialists available at several branches. Also, the Medical Society of New Jersey Physician Membership Directory is available to use at every branch of the library. You can also find information on the Internet about a doctor’s background.  Doctor Finder, available from the American Medical Association’s Web site, can be used to find biographical information about your doctor or to find a doctor by specialty. 

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