Oklahoma Hospitals Offer Free Online Health Information

Gone are the days when the health care provider was the one from whom all information flowed. Health care is now a collaborative effort between the patient and other members of the health care team. Some health care providers have embraced these changes, while others continue to grapple with the changing dynamics.

An article in “The New England Journal of Medicine” published March 25, 2010, addressed the issue of the change in doctor/patient relationships since many patients are armed with health and medical information since the introduction of the Internet. The health care provider must accept that many patients are now informed consumers and patients must realize that the health care provider has the benefit of knowing and evaluating the patient in "real life."

Symptom checkers have become a valuable tool for the health care consumer. Symptom checkers are usually interactive tools that allow you to find your symptoms or symptoms, such as fever, bruising, or pain and follow steps that will suggest one or more possible diagnoses or explanations for your particular symptoms.

There are a number of reputable and credible online resources that anyone can access, including the Mayo Clinic, WebMD and the University of Maryland Medical Center. Each website has its own method of operation, but generally you are able to input your symptom or symptoms and the tool will take you from those symptoms to possible diagnoses or conditions.

Thousands of people access these online tools everyday, but remember that they represent just one method of seeking an accurate diagnosis. They are great beginning points to help recognize conditions, but a health care provider evaluates signs and symptoms of which you may not even be aware.

Many Oklahoma hospitals provide interactive tools for the use of health care consumers. These tools are free to use. You might want to consider one or more of them as your go-to place for reputable health information.

Two hospitals, Jackson County Memorial Hospital and Normal Regional Health System, provide Healthlink phone lines. You can call here any time of day, 365 days/year to speak with a registered nurse about symptoms, health, medications or physician referrals. Jackson County Memorial Hospital Healthlink: (580)477-111 or 1-888-840-2554. Norman Regional Health System Healthlink: 1-877-NORM-REG.

Great Plains Regional Medical Center, Midwest Regional Medical Center and Southwestern Medical Center refer to WebMD for symptom-checking information.

These Oklahoma hospitals each provide health information and/or symptoms checks on their websites: University of Oklahoma Medical Center, Integris Hospitals, Muskogee Regional Medical Center, St. Anthony Hospital, Saint Francis Health System and Woodward Regional Hospital.