There are a few ways to know "who to talk to" in the medical, health and wellness fields, as well as how to look online to find credible and reliable health information.
How to Find a Credible, Online Medical/Health Website:
Look for sites that end in ".edu" or ".gov", and if the site ends with ".com" (as does EmpowHer.com), look for the "About Us" section and make sure there is a Medical Advisory Board. (You can view EmpowHer's "About Us" section at the link:
https://www.empowher.com/company. Other sites may have credible information and/or personal stories that are helpful, but always verify the information at a site that does not sell products and is a company that is fully transparent.
How to Find a Quality Health Care Professional In-Person:
Depending on the condition or topic, every health profession has a credentialing board or "over-seeing" professional association that sets the gold standard for that profession. Many "health professionals" can add a title after their name, and not have the credentials, certifications, training and standards that need to be fulfilled every year (to maintain these credentials).
For instance, if you need to talk with someone about nutrition, food, weight, body issues, you can talk with a nutritionist, but make sure this person is a Registered Dietitian (R.D.). Same with any medical specialty; even if they are an M.D. (medical doctor), you want to make sure they have specific training in the specialty area.
Lastly, there are many individuals who have great knowledge, experience and hands-on training that do not meet the above criteria. The one example I can think of would be those in the complimentary and alternative medicine fields, as this is still an area with much controversy in the medical model. For those professions with no real credentialing system are national/international professional association in place, make sure to seek these individuals out with a critical eye, ask for referrals and talk with lots of their previous clients, and be sure to tell your primary doctor about any new medications or treatment regimens.
Does this help?
You can always ask us to help find a doctor in a specialty area and location, too!
Comment Reply
Excellent question!
There are a few ways to know "who to talk to" in the medical, health and wellness fields, as well as how to look online to find credible and reliable health information.
How to Find a Credible, Online Medical/Health Website:
Look for sites that end in ".edu" or ".gov", and if the site ends with ".com" (as does EmpowHer.com), look for the "About Us" section and make sure there is a Medical Advisory Board. (You can view EmpowHer's "About Us" section at the link:
https://www.empowher.com/company. Other sites may have credible information and/or personal stories that are helpful, but always verify the information at a site that does not sell products and is a company that is fully transparent.
How to Find a Quality Health Care Professional In-Person:
Depending on the condition or topic, every health profession has a credentialing board or "over-seeing" professional association that sets the gold standard for that profession. Many "health professionals" can add a title after their name, and not have the credentials, certifications, training and standards that need to be fulfilled every year (to maintain these credentials).
For instance, if you need to talk with someone about nutrition, food, weight, body issues, you can talk with a nutritionist, but make sure this person is a Registered Dietitian (R.D.). Same with any medical specialty; even if they are an M.D. (medical doctor), you want to make sure they have specific training in the specialty area.
Lastly, there are many individuals who have great knowledge, experience and hands-on training that do not meet the above criteria. The one example I can think of would be those in the complimentary and alternative medicine fields, as this is still an area with much controversy in the medical model. For those professions with no real credentialing system are national/international professional association in place, make sure to seek these individuals out with a critical eye, ask for referrals and talk with lots of their previous clients, and be sure to tell your primary doctor about any new medications or treatment regimens.
Does this help?
You can always ask us to help find a doctor in a specialty area and location, too!
October 18, 2009 - 6:47amThis Comment
Reply