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.
Osteopathic medicine: What kind of doctor is a D.O.?
You know what M.D. means, but what does D.O. mean? What are the differences and similarities between these two types of doctors?
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.
Web savvy: Choose health sites with care
The web is awash with health information, but how can you duck the quacks? Use this checklist to evaluate what you find online: 1. Check dates. Search for the most recent information you can find. 2. Check the source. Look for articles that refer to published medical research and have been reviewed by qualified professionals. 3. Double-check what you find. Visit several sites and compare information.
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.
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.
Age isn't a barrier to organ donation
Interested in registering as an organ donor but worried that you're too old? Don't be. There's no defined cutoff age for donating organs. The decision to use a donor's organs is based on strict medical criteria, not age, and is made by doctors at the time of death.
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.
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.
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