Court Rejects the Right to Use Drugs Being Tested (New York Times - Aug. 2007)
Do desperate patients have the right to try unproven therapies?

Florida Hospital Defends Secretly Deporting Patient (Yahoo News - 7/23/09)
All sides agree on one thing in a strange case of a South Florida hospital that secretly repatriated a seriously brain injured patient back to Guatemala.

Healthcare-Associated Infections (HAI Watch News)
When someone develops an infection at a hospital or other patient care facility that they did not have prior to treatment, this is referred to as a healthcare-associated (sometimes hospital-acquired) infection (HAI). HAIs are a global crisis affecting both patients and healthcare workers.

How to File a Complaint
If you believe that a covered entity violated your (or someone else’s) health information privacy rights or committed another violation of the Privacy or Security Rule, you may file a complaint with OCR. OCR can investigate complaints against covered entities.

Partnering for Better Care (Boston.com - Oct. 2007)
Now that Massachusetts has made significant progress toward guaranteed access to healthcare, the Commonwealth must turn to a new challenge: ensuring that the medical care provided is of the highest possible quality.

Patient Safety Checklist (Martine Ehrenclou, MA)
Surgical safety checklists have been shown to be very effective in significantly reducing fatal medical errors when used by surgeons and members of the surgical team. This checklist is for patients and their advocates to further close the gap on preventing medical errors in hospitals.

Patients, Beware (Walletpop.com)
731 nurses reveal what to watch out for in the hospital.

Senate Finance Committee Presents Proposals for Healthcare Reform (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law)
The Senate Finance Committee has released details of policy options for expanding healthcare coverage to the uninsured in one of three papers that will guide the committee's markup of comprehensive health reform, expected to occur in June or July.

Stimulus Package Health Provisions Significantly Expand HIPAA Privacy Standards (2/17/09)
As part of the stimulus package, the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (the “HITECH Act”) significantly expands the HIPAA Privacy Rule and Security Standards. The following is a summary of the key provisions of the HITECH Act related to HIPAA.

Studies Show Yoga Can Treat Illness (Freep.com - 11/28/08)
The ancient practice of yoga is increasingly finding a new following - among doctors and medical researchers who are working to prove its benefits for a variety of illnesses.

Swine Flu Vaccine Coming Soon: What You Need to Know (Caring.com - 7/20/09)
Swine Flu was back in the news last week with reports of so many cases spreading around the globe that the World Health Organization announced it's no longer going to keep count.

Related: National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) - HRSA
The 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine (swine flu vaccine) is not covered under the VICP. If you received the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza vaccine (swine flu vaccine) or drugs to treat or prevent H1N1 influenza such as Tamiflu, Relenza or Peramivir and think that you have been seriously injured by this vaccine or these drugs, see the Countermeasures Injury Compensation Program.

Upstream Solutions: Does the Suppl. Security Income Program Reduce Disability in the Elderly? (The Milbank Quarterly)
An interesting study from this multidisciplinary journal of population health and health policy.

Bioethics Briefing Book (The Hastings Center)
Overviews of issues in bioethics of high public interest such as abortion, health care reform, human and sports enhancement, personalized medicine, medical error and stem cells.

Caregiver Checklist (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
Planning for Your Discharge: A checklist for patients and caregivers preparing to leave a hospital, nursing home, or other health care setting

Consumer's Tool Kit for Health Care Advance Planning (ABA Commission on Law and Aging)
A "tool kit" with worksheets, suggestions and resources to assist in advance planning for health care decisions.

Family Consent Laws Covering Routine Medical Care (The Republican - Sept. 2007)

Health Benefits for the Uninsured (Mathematica Policy Research, Inc. - Sept. 2008)
Many Social Security Disability Insurance beneficiaries have serious health care needs, but, under current law, most are not eligible for Medicare until 29 months after he SSA has established the onset of their disability.

Health Promotion Programs (Center for Healthy Aging)
Recommendations of evidence-based programs that community organizations can implement.

Hospital.com
A medical publication geared towards offering information on hospitals while also covering other issues within the medical field.

Kaiser Foundation Reports Aimed at Informing Debate on Health Care Reform
Three new reports and a video examine the range of health care needs and costs that people face today and the scope of coverage that may be available to them under health reform. One of the reports, Individuals With Special Needs and Health Reform: Adequacy of Health Insurance Coverage, is particularly relevant to people with serious mental illnesses. This and other reports can be accessed at the link above.

Legal Guide for the Seriously Ill (ABA Commission on Law and Aging)
The onset of a serious illness or injury can affect much more than a person's health. Knowing what steps to take to get your financial and legal affairs in order is often vitally important not only to you, but to your loved ones.

Patient's Guide to HIPAA: How to Use the Law to Guard Your Health Privacy
The Guide offers a roadmap through the thicket of dense health privacy laws and rules that many patients have questions about. The purpose of this guide is to help patients cut through the red tape and understand how to make health privacy laws work to protect their privacy.

Toolkit Provides Hospitals, Health Plans...Guidance for Collecting Patient Data (Robert Wood Johnson Foundation)
An updated toolkit designed to help hospitals, clinics, health plans and others navigate the most frequently encountered questions about collecting patient data—such as race, ethnicity, and primary language.

Access Project
Advocacy information for people that are experiencing medical debt.

Air Ambulance
A membership program that provides air ambulance services to its members, anywhere in the world, anytime.

Angel Flight
A volunteer group of pilots who arrange free air transportation for any legitimate, charitable, medically related need.

Aviation Charities (Flying Mag.com)
Aviation related charities are staffed by individuals who are dedicated to providing care, kindness, and frequently transportation. Some services are health-related, some are prompted by emergencies, and some are related to fostering emotional well-being.

Directory of State Medical Boards
A state-by-state directory where you can find out whether your doctor has been disciplined by a state medical board. A search in your state might not reveal a doctor's problems in another state. To get a national profile on your doctor, it costs $9.95 on the website of the Federation of State Medical Boards.

Disease.com
1 in 4 sexually active teenagers become infected with an STD every year, in the United States alone. Now, more than ever, we need to join together to fight this growing issue. The people at Disease.com understand the importance of STD/STI prevention and treatments.

Free Medicine Foundation
Thanks to federal government incentives, pharmaceutical companies may provide free prescription medicines for those who qualify.

Institute for Family-Centered Care
Provides leadership to advance the understanding and practice of patient and family centered care in hospitals and other health care settings.

National Insitutes of Health
The national's medical research agency.

National Health Law Program
A national public interest law firm that seeks to improve health care for America's working and unemployed poor, minorities, the elderly and people with disabilities.

Needy Meds
Find help with the cost of medicine.

RX Assist.org
Provides a comprehensive directory of patient assistance programs that are run by pharmaceutical companies to provide free medications to people who cannot afford their prescriptions.

Blusom Health & Fitness Blog
Info & discussion on a number of health related matters.

For the People.com
A Florida attorney's consumer advocacy website with detailed health information regarding automobile accidents, health and home, and elderly care.

Where to Find Care.com
A free website for consumers to compare and rate many different types of health care facilities. The estimated 47 million uninsured Americans now have a tool to help them find free or low-cost clinics, where they can obtain basic medical care.

Who Cares (FTC)
With so many sources of health information at your fingertips — many of them online — it can be tough to tell fact from fiction, or useful health products and services from those that don’t work or aren’t safe. The FTC has created this website to help you find reliable sources of information on health topics important to you, whether you’re an older consumer or a family member, caregiver, or friend.