Healthcare Quality Information

• Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
  
  AHRQ conducts and supports health services research, both within AHRQ as well as in leading academic institutions, hospitals, physicians' offices, health care systems, and many other settings across the country. The Agency has a broad research portfolio that touches on nearly every aspect of health care.
  
  
• Massachusetts Health Quality Partners
  
  MHQP provides reliable information to help physicians improve the quality of care they provide their patients and help consumers take an active role in making informed decisions about their health care.
  
  
• My Health Care Options
  
  A health care resource provided by the Massachusetts Health Care Quality and Cost Council.
  
  
• Hospital Compare
  
  A tool created by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to help patients compare quality of care among hospitals.
  
  
• The Joint Commission: How to Find Reliable Health Information

Government Sites

• Medicare
  
  
• Medicaid
  
  
• MassHealth
  
  
• Commonwealth Care & Commonwealth Choice
  
  
• Massachusetts Division of Health Care Quality (DHCQ)
  
  The Division of Health Care Quality is mandated by state and federal statutes to license and certify approximately 6000 health facilities to assure the delivery of quality health care services. DHCQ also investigates all complaints of patient abuse and neglect in long-term care facilities.
  
  
• National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  
  The National Institutes of Health, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the primary Federal agency for conducting and supporting medical research.


• My HealtheVet
  
  You do not need to be a Veteran to use this website.  This Website is one of the best sites for general health advice for adults.

Other Rating Sites

• HealthGrades
  
  
• CiteHealth
  
  
• RateMD's

Healthy Motherhood Advice

• What to Expect - Pregnancy information online from the authors of the best-seller What to Expect When You're Expecting.
  
  
• You and Your Newborn Baby - A guide to the first months after birth.
  
  
• Breastfeeding FAQ's
  
  
• Cesarean Birth for Medical Reasons
  

• Doctor Visit Worksheets for Your Infant's First Year

• Nine Medicines You Shouldn't Give Your Baby
  
  
• Choosing a Doctor for Your Baby

Children's Health Advice

• Common Childhood Illnesses and Solutions
  
  
• KidsHealth - An educational website about children's health and development.
  
  
• First Aid for Common Childhood Injuries
  
  
• American Academy of Pediatrics

Guides to Being a Better Patient

• Prepare for Your Visit to the Doctor - A checklist that helps you gather the correct information before you or your family member goes to the doctor.
  
  
• What's Your Mom's Medical History? Your health won't mirror your mother's exactly, but her genes and medical history to leave a mark on yours.
  
  
• Women: Stay Healthy at Any Age - Your Checklist for Health
  
  
• Men: Stay Healthy at Any Age - Your Checklist for Health
  
  
• 5 Steps to Safer Health Care

Popular Online Health Information Sites

• Mayo Clinic
  
  
• WebMD
  
  
• PatientCareLink - A resource intended to provide information to patients and hospitals regarding quality and safety issues.

Know Your Rights

• Patient’s Bill of Rights

The American Cancer Society summarized the Patient’s Bill of Rights in a way that may be easily understood. Click above for the summarized version or here for the final and official Consumer Bill of Rights and Responsibilities.

• MedlinePlus: Patient Rights

• Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

HIPAA was created to protect the privacy and rights of patients. Read about HIPAA and the Patient Safety and Quality Improvement Act of 2005 (PSQIA) Patient Safety Rule here.

• The Joint Commission on Patient Safety

The Joint Commission is an accreditation agency that certifies many of the health care organizations around the country. Certification by the Joint Commission is nationally known as a symbol of quality for healthcare organizations.