Typical questions

Considerations

Healthcare queries can be those about particular medical conditions, health issues or finding contact details of a hospital or healthcare institute or organization. As well as using the specialized sources, it is useful to use the Directory of British associations, CBD Research, for enquiries relating to organizations involved in health or medical conditions and issues. For enquiries relating to prescriptive drugs and medicines see MEDICINES & DRUGS.

Where to look

Dictionaries

There are some excellent medical dictionaries and encyclopedias available, which will probably answer in sufficient detail the lay person's medical queries, particularly Black's medical dictionary, edited by Dr Harvey Marcovitch, 41st edition, 2006, Scarecrow Press. This gives 5000 definitions and descriptions of medical terms with cross-referencing to further information.

Stedman's abbreviations, acronyms and symbols (2003) 3rd edn, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins

75,000 abbreviations in the field of health and medicine.

Try also:

Lock, S., Last, J. and Dunea, G. (2001) Oxford illustrated companion to medicine, Oxford University Press

This covers all the major medical and nursing subjects as well as the history of medicine and complementary therapies.

There are also a number of excellent family health encyclopedias available:

British Medical Association complete family health guide (2005) Dorling Kindersley

A medical encyclopaedia which features information on screening, drug treatments and surgery with symptom charts to aid in the interpretation of symptoms. There is also an explanation of medical genetics and what they mean for your health and 2000 medical websites on every disorder.

British Medical Association A–Z family medical encyclopedia (2004) Dorling Kindersley

Apple, M. (1999) Hamlyn encyclopedia of family health, Hamlyn

This offers diagnosis and treatments for more than 200 ailments using orthodox and complementary medicines.

Komoroff. A. L, Harvard family health guide, Cassell

Carroll, S. (2003) The Which? guide to men's health, Which?

Robinson, A. (2003) The Which? guide to women's health, Which?

Directories

For contact details for hospitals and trusts there are a number of directories but remember also to use telephone directories for listings under hospitals.

The Institute of Healthcare Management yearbook, Beechwood House Publishing Ltd. Annual

This provides a comprehensive reference to both the NHS and independent healthcare. It includes details of departments, agencies and management contacts.