Consumer health basics
Learning Center
Medical credentials and degrees explained
Confused by the credentials for doctors, nurses and physician assistants? Get definitions of common credentials and learn why they matter.
Organ donation: Don't let these myths confuse you
Organ donation saves lives, but misinformation surrounds it. Get the facts about becoming an organ donor.
Personal health records and patient portals
Personal health records and patient portals make it easy to access your medical information using your computer or smartphone.
After a flood, are food and medicines safe to use?
After a flood, don't eat foods or take medications that have come into contact with flood water or contaminated water.
Telehealth: Technology meets health care
From patient portals to wearable monitoring devices, telehealth gives you the tools to better manage your health. Are you taking advantage of these tools?
Living wills and advance directives for medical decisions
Living wills and other advance directives describe your treatment preferences in end-of-life situations when you can't speak for yourself.
Emergency health information: Keep your personal and family records within reach
Emergency preparedness includes making sure you can quickly access critical health information for you and your family.
Osteopathic medicine: What kind of doctor is a D.O.?
You know what M.D. means, but what does D.O. mean? What's different and what's alike between these two kinds of health care providers?
Do you have a living will?
Life-threatening situations can happen to anyone, so it's important to have a living will or other advance directive. These documents spell out your preferences regarding medical treatments you would or would not want to keep you alive. You can also outline your preferences for other medical decisions, such as pain management or organ donation. By planning ahead, you can get the medical care you want and save your family from having to make tough decisions in a crisis.
Create a family health record
Prepare for a family emergency by gathering important details about your family's health. For each person, gather the following information: medical conditions, allergies, medications, blood type, doctor's name and phone number, and insurance information. Also include advance directives, the legal documents that outline your decisions about health care, such as whether to use life-support machines.
Refine Your Search
Type
Age
- All
- 19 to 44 younger (11)
- 45 to 64 middle (11)
- 65 to 80 older (3)
- 80 and over (1)
Focus
- All
- Definition (1)
- Home Treatment (1)
- Clinical Treatment (1)