For Patients
American Heart Association's Heart Hub
Patient portal for information, tools and resources about cardiovascular disease and stroke.
www.hearthub.org
American Lung Association
www.lungusa.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
www.cdc.gov
Center's for Disease Control (CDC): Article on Preventing Surgical Site Infections
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/eid/vol7no2/nichols.htm
Food and Drug Administration's (US FDA) Drug Information Source
www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/drugsatfda/index.cfm
National Library of Medicine and the National Institutes of Health
www.medlineplus.gov
National Health Information Center's Guide to Reliable Health Information
www.healthfinder.gov
National Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) to Reduce Surgery Complications
www.MedQIC.org/scip
NC Health Info
Local Health Information and Health Services for North Carolinians
www.nchealthinfo.org
Understanding Surgery by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ)
www.ahrq.gov/consumer/surgery/surgery.htm
WebMD - Search by disease and condition
www.webmd.org
Agency for Health Research and Quality (AHRQ)
Federal agency responsible for research on quality, cost, access, utilization, and health care outcomes and patient safety
www.ahrq.gov
AHRQ's "Your Guide to Choosing Quality Health Care"
Developed to help you make health care decisions using information about quality.
www.ahrq.gov/consumer/qnt
American Health Quality Association (AHQA)
The American Health Quality Association represents Quality Improvement Organizations (QIOs) and professionals working to improve the quality of health care in communities across America.
www.ahqa.org
American Hospital Association (AHA) and Hospital Quality Alliance (HQA)
Information on the latest data and resources available for this initiative to make hospital quality information publicly available, and to improve the care hospitals provide.
www.aha.org/aha/key_issues/qualityalliance/index.html
Carolinas Center for Medical Excellence (CCME)
CCME is a non-profit, physician-sponsored healthcare consulting firm and the Medicare Quality Improvement Organization (QIO) for North Carolina.
www.thecarolinascenter.org
Center for Children's Healthcare Improvement
The Center for Children's Healthcare Improvement (CCHI) is a program to improve healthcare for children.
www.childhealthimprovement.org
CMS Hospital Quality Initiative
The Hospital Quality Initiative uses a variety of tools to stimulate and support significant improvement in the quality of hospital care.
www.cms.hhs.gov/HospitalQualityInits/
Hospital Quality Alliance
The HQA believes that the availability and use of clinical quality, patient experience, equity, efficiency, and pricing information will spur positive changes in health care delivery.
www.hospitalqualityalliance.org
Institute for Healthcare Improvement
The Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) is a not-for-profit organization driving the improvement of health by advancing the quality and value of hospital and health care services.
www.ihi.org
Joint Commission of Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)
Evaluates the quality and safety of care of health care organizations and accredits them.
www.jointcommission.org
JCAHO's Complaint Hotline
Call 800-994-6610 or e-mail to complaint@jcaho.org.
www.ncdhhs.gov/dhsr/ciu/filecomplaint.html
LeapFrog Group Hospital Quality Ratings
www.leapfroggroup.org/for_consumers
National Patient Safety Foundation (NPSF)
Organization devoted to improving the safety of patients through knowledge transfer, public awareness and communication.
www.npsf.org
North Carolina Medical Society
As the largest physician organization in the state, the North Carolina Medical Society devotes itself to representing the interests of physicians and protecting the quality of patient care.
www.ncmedsoc.org
QualityCheck® Hospital Quality Reports.
JCAHO's website that provides quality reports on U.S. hospitals that contain merit badge achievements, quality measures and other data associated with hospital accreditation.
www.qualitycheck.org
National Surgical Care Improvement Project (SCIP) to Reduce Surgery Complications
www.MedQIC.org/scip
Speak Up™ Program for Patients
National campaign to urge patients to take a role in preventing health care errors by becoming active, involved and informed participants on the health care team.
www.jointcommission.org/GeneralPublic/Speak+Up