- Health Finder

www.healthfinder.gov.com

Health Finder is a large-type, easy-to-use, free Federal government guide to links with information on every major disease, plus plenty of health care system and payment information links, all offered in English (and sometimes in Spanish). You can navigate Heathfinder easily by typing in a keyword, or by clicking the main links on its bare-bones home page.

This site has a special focus on health care system concerns: how to find a health care provider; how to complain or report fraud; how to find nursing homes, hospice care, long-term care, flu clinics, clinical trials or support groups; medical errors; patient privacy; and how to receive benefits from Medicare, Medicaid or private health insurance.

The site offers links only to government and not-for-profit organization websites, more than 1500 in all. Its “Online Checkups” section has dozens of links to web-based screening tests and quizzes. Some tests suggest a possible diagnosis, while others are just a fun way to educate yourself about a health topic.

The “Health News” section is updated daily with press releases from medical journals and other sources. There’s also a link to Clinical Trials Update, which lists research projects seeking patients with specific conditions. The site’s Medical Library features “hand-picked health information from A to Z” on diseases, prescription drugs, alternative medicine and surgical procedures, among other topics.

“Just for You” has medical information organized by age, gender, and ethnic group, as well as information for caregivers, people with disabilities, parents, community leaders, seniors and health professionals. The site also offers an alphabetical directory to organizations and agencies of the Federal and State governments, as well as nonprofits and professional organizations.

Healthfinder® was developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 1997 together with other Federal agencies.

Last modified: 20 Sep 2006.