Making Health Decisions

Guides for Decision Making--Providers


“Choosing a Doctor.” Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
http://www.ahcpr.gov/consumer/qntascii/qntdr.htm

 “Mental Health Care: A Consumers Guide.” American Psychiatric Nurses Association.
http://www.apna.org/
(Enter “consumer health” into search box” and it will take you to the document.) 

 “Talking With Your Doctor. A Guide For Older People.” National Institute on Aging.
http://www.nih.gov/nia/health/pubs/talking/index.htm#content

 “1999 Cardiac Information Services Guide.” Southeast Michigan Regional Heart Consortium.
http://www.hiag.org/Csig/cardiac.htm
Provides a tool to find information about annual numbers of cardiac procedures done by physicians and hospitals in the region and explains the linkage between quantity and quality.

 

Guides for Decision Making—Health Plans 

 “Making Medicare Choices. Medicare Options.” American Association of Retired Persons.
http://www.aarp.org/hcchoices/medicare/makechoice/options.html 

 “Helping you to choose a quality health plan.” Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
http://www.jcaho.org/trkgen_frm.html

 “Choosing and Using a Health Plan.” Agency For Healthcare Research And Quality.
http://www.ahcpr.gov/consumer/hlthpln1.htm 

 “Checkup on Health Insurance Choices.” Agency For Healthcare Research And Quality.
http://www.ahcpr.gov/consumer/insuranc.htm

 

Guides for Decision Making—Health Care Facilities 

 “Helping you make health care choices.” Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
http://www.jcaho.org/trkgen_frm.html   

 “Choosing a good nursing home.” American Association of Retired Persons.
http://www.aarp.org/confacts/health/choosingnh.html 

 “How to choose a home care provider.” National Association for Home Care.
http://www.nahc.org/Consumer/coninfo.html

 

Guides for Decision Making—Treatments 

 “Now You Have A Diagnosis: What’s Next?” Agency for Healthcare Research And Quality.
http://www.ahcpr.gov/consumer/diaginfo.htm 

“A Consumer’s Guide To Taking Charge Of Health Information.” Harvard Center For Risk Analysis, Harvard School Of Public Health
http://www.health-insight.harvard.edu/guide.html

“Be Informed. Questions To Ask Your Doctor Before You Have Surgery.” Agency For Healthcare Research And Quality.
http://www.ahcpr.gov/consumer/surgery.htm 

“National Guideline Clearinghouse.” Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality in partnership with the American Medical Association and the American Association of Health Plans.
http://www.guidelines.gov/index.asp


Report Cards and Accreditations—Health Plans 

“Health Plan Report Card.” National Committee for Quality Assurance.
http://hprc.ncqa.org/index.asp  

 “Medicare Health Plan Compare.”  The Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare Information.
http://www.medicare.gov/MPHcompare/Home.asp


Report Cards and Accreditations—Health Care Facilities 

“Quality check.” Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations.
http://www.jcaho.org/qualitycheck/directry/directry.asp
Performance ratings of health care facilities including hospitals, home care facilities, ambulatory care facilities, behavioral health facilities, and laboratories. 

 “Hospital Select.” In cooperation with the American Medical Association.
http://www.hospitalselect.com/curb_db/owa/sp_hospselect.main
Information about types of hospital services, hospital size, specialty centers, teaching hospitals, and occupancy. 

 “Nursing Home Compare.” The Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare Information.
http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare/Home.asp 

 

Report Cards and Accreditations—Provider Credentials 

 “Physician select.” American Medical Association.
http://www.ama-assn.org/aps/amahg.htm 

 “CertifiedDoctor Verification Service.”  American Boards of Medical Specialties.
http://www.abms.org/newsearch.asp 

 “Verify a license.” State of Michigan, Department of Consumer and Industry  Services.
http://www.cis.state.mi.us/verify.htm
Information on individuals or businesses licensed by or registered with the CIS. Includes foster care facilities.