How to Access Healthcare Information

By Hope Jensen and Krista Burr

What Should You Look For When Selecting a Health Website?

  • Who runs the website? Can you trust them?
  • What is the site promising? Does it sound too good to be true?
  • When was the information reviewed or when was it written? Is it recent and up to date?
  • Where is the information coming from? Is it based on scientific research?
  • Why does the site exist? Is the site selling something?

Quality Websites For Health Information

  • Mayo Clinic: This is a health website that offers information such as health education, information about living a healthy lifestyle, diseases and conditions and many more health related topics. https://www.mayoclinic.org/
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Here you will find health information about topics such as the flu, pink eye, immunizations, healthy living and current health issues when traveling. https://www.cdc.gov/

Why would you use a health app?

  • Easier access to health information.
  • Prevention and early detection of disease.
  • Managing health symptoms.
  • The cost.
  • Easier communication with the doctor.
  • Assists with healthy lifestyles.

Basic Criteria for selecting Health Related Apps

  • Review what the app covers.
  • Look at the user ratings and reviews.
  • Is the App recommended by healthcare providers?
  • Is it easy to understand?
  • Be selective in choosing apps. Choose an app that has a good reputation like one approved by the FDA.

Quality Apps

Protecting Privacy When Using an App

  • Information must be coded and protected with strong passwords.
  • Use good judgement to make sure private information doesn’t become available to others.
  • Keep password a secret.

What are the Benefits of Using a Virtual Support Group

  • Gives a chance to share your experiences with others.
  • It let’s you relate to others who may be going through the same thing.
  • Easier access for those in far away locations.
  • Can be helpful for those that may not be able to travel because of poor health or money problems.
  • You can remain nameless.

How should you select virtual support groups and remain unnamed?

  • Your doctor or hospital can recommend a group.
  • Use an email that does not have your name in it.
  • Ask what the guidelines are for confidentiality.
  • Don’t pay for services or products.
  • Remember advice from the group is not a replacement for medical care .

Here are a few online support groups

Benefits of accessing personal health records

  • Easier access to medical records.
  • Patients can report information that is not correct.
  • Makes it easier to schedule appointments.
  • Communicate with health provider.
  • Refill prescriptions.
  • Make payments.

Security and Confidentiality concerns when using a patient portal

  • Hackers can get your private information if it is not a secure site.
  • Patients may use portal incorrectly.
  • Make sure you use a secure password and that the site is encrypted.

Basic Computer Information

  • Here is a short video on computer basics. https://youtu.be/7cXEOWAStq4
  • Internet Service Providers: Depending what is available in your area. Our area has Century-link, and Centracom there is not a large variety in a rural area.
  • Modem: a hardware device that transfers information from computer to computer.
  • Router: It is a networking device that forwards and receives data between computer networks.
  • Web Browsers: It is an application used to access any website such as Google Chrome, Apple Safari, and Firefox.
  • “The Cloud”: in the simplest terms cloud computing means storing and accessing data and programs over the Internet instead of your computer’s hard drive.

References