Good advice from the VA. If only they did as this says.

[Guest guest]

In the Spotlight

Navigating Your Way to Good Health: Finding Reliable Information Online

As a Veteran, you might feel you can handle your health on your own. And with all of the health information available on the Internet, it shouldn't be too hard to find.

It's certainly true that your health is ultimately your responsibility. The Pew Internet & American Life Project conducted a study that showed eight in ten Americans have looked up health information on the Web. But you want to make sure the online health information you get is accurate and reliable. So how do you separate the good information from the bad – or even the downright dangerous?

First and foremost, consider the source, says Dr. Woods, staff physician at the Portland VA Medical Center in Portland, Ore., and Associate National Director for eHealth at the Veterans Health Administration Office of Informatics and Analytics.

"When you use the Web, check to see who runs the site," said Woods. "Is it a government agency? A research group? A company? Does the information come from a credible health system like the Mayo Clinic or a federal website like the National Institutes of Health?"

To find quality information:

Dr. Woods, Portland VA Medical Center

Check the date. Go to the bottom of the Web page to see when information was posted or last updated. This is especially important for health information, which can change often based on new research.

Check the experts. Look for whether the information was written or reviewed by an expert. Read the "About Us" section to learn who operates the site.

Avoid the sales pitch. Beware of sites plugging a product or service – or that are full of advertisements or personal testimonials.

Get a second opinion. Check the information against one or several other websites to see if it matches up. Share what you find with your doctor.

Trust your gut. Rely on your gut feeling and common sense. If the information seems untrue, it probably is.

How Can VA and My HealtheVet Help?

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) created My HealtheVet to give you information you can trust and help you take charge of your health. Make it your first online stop.

It is important to look critically at any web site offering health information, and compare information from different sources.

"All the Vets I spoke with love it," said Ralph Stott, a retired Vietnam Veteran who volunteers to register Veterans on My HealtheVet at the Captain A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, IL. "In my opinion, My HealtheVet takes care of physical, mental and even spiritual needs. If you go to My HealtheVet, really look at what's offered and actually apply some of the useful things they have, it can give you a new lease on life."

It did for Stott. Using the activity and food journals on My HealtheVet, Stott revamped his exercise and eating habits. Now he rides his bicycle, runs two miles a day and eats less meat and more fruit. He also switched to skim milk.

"Eating healthier has given me so much energy I can hardly contain myself," said Stott. "I'm in better health now at 68 than I was when I was playing football in high school."

My HealtheVet is designed to work with VA's health system to give Veterans coordinated, full-service care.

"Vets have a primary care, patient-aligned team, which they communicate with in several ways," said Woods. "For instance, a Vet can go to My HealtheVet for information and then communicate with the team through Secure Messaging or by phone to check it out, according to Woods. "It's the team's purpose to triage the Veteran's concern."

Through My HealtheVet, "we're trying to deliver a spectrum of care using whatever tools are at the Veteran's disposal, ranging from virtual communication with a health care provider through Secure Messaging to face-to-face care," Woods said. "What the VA offers is wonderful."

Learn More

The Pew Internet & American Life ProjectHighlights of the Pew Internet Project's research related to health and health care.

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)More health information from the VA

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)Three government websites the FTC recommends for health information

National Institutes of Health (NIH)Fact sheets, brochures, press releases, videos and other information from the nation's medical research agency

Mayo ClinicPatient information, research and more from one of the nation's top medical institutions

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Health information for the public on many topics, including vaccines, children's health, global and environmental health, emergencies, diseases, healthy living and more

Updated/Reviewed: March 20, 2012

[Guest guest]

I think u can access uptodate thru healthy vet. This is the best medical information service I have seen. May your pressure be low!CE Grim MS, MDSpecializing in DifficultHypertensionOn Apr 4, 2012, at 9:03, Francis Bill SUSPECTED PA <georgewbill@...> wrote:

In the Spotlight

Navigating Your Way to Good Health: Finding Reliable Information Online

As a Veteran, you might feel you can handle your health on your own. And with all of the health information available on the Internet, it shouldn't be too hard to find.

It's certainly true that your health is ultimately your responsibility. The Pew Internet & American Life Project conducted a study that showed eight in ten Americans have looked up health information on the Web. But you want to make sure the online health information you get is accurate and reliable. So how do you separate the good information from the bad – or even the downright dangerous?

First and foremost, consider the source, says Dr. Woods, staff physician at the Portland VA Medical Center in Portland, Ore., and Associate National Director for eHealth at the Veterans Health Administration Office of Informatics and Analytics.

"When you use the Web, check to see who runs the site," said Woods. "Is it a government agency? A research group? A company? Does the information come from a credible health system like the Mayo Clinic or a federal website like the National Institutes of Health?"

To find quality information:

Dr. Woods, Portland VA Medical Center

Check the date. Go to the bottom of the Web page to see when information was posted or last updated. This is especially important for health information, which can change often based on new research.

Check the experts. Look for whether the information was written or reviewed by an expert. Read the "About Us" section to learn who operates the site.

Avoid the sales pitch. Beware of sites plugging a product or service – or that are full of advertisements or personal testimonials.

Get a second opinion. Check the information against one or several other websites to see if it matches up. Share what you find with your doctor.

Trust your gut. Rely on your gut feeling and common sense. If the information seems untrue, it probably is.

How Can VA and My HealtheVet Help?

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) created My HealtheVet to give you information you can trust and help you take charge of your health. Make it your first online stop.

It is important to look critically at any web site offering health information, and compare information from different sources.

"All the Vets I spoke with love it," said Ralph Stott, a retired Vietnam Veteran who volunteers to register Veterans on My HealtheVet at the Captain A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, IL. "In my opinion, My HealtheVet takes care of physical, mental and even spiritual needs. If you go to My HealtheVet, really look at what's offered and actually apply some of the useful things they have, it can give you a new lease on life."

It did for Stott. Using the activity and food journals on My HealtheVet, Stott revamped his exercise and eating habits. Now he rides his bicycle, runs two miles a day and eats less meat and more fruit. He also switched to skim milk.

"Eating healthier has given me so much energy I can hardly contain myself," said Stott. "I'm in better health now at 68 than I was when I was playing football in high school."

My HealtheVet is designed to work with VA's health system to give Veterans coordinated, full-service care.

"Vets have a primary care, patient-aligned team, which they communicate with in several ways," said Woods. "For instance, a Vet can go to My HealtheVet for information and then communicate with the team through Secure Messaging or by phone to check it out, according to Woods. "It's the team's purpose to triage the Veteran's concern."

Through My HealtheVet, "we're trying to deliver a spectrum of care using whatever tools are at the Veteran's disposal, ranging from virtual communication with a health care provider through Secure Messaging to face-to-face care," Woods said. "What the VA offers is wonderful."

Learn More

The Pew Internet & American Life ProjectHighlights of the Pew Internet Project's research related to health and health care.

Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)More health information from the VA

Federal Trade Commission (FTC)Three government websites the FTC recommends for health information

National Institutes of Health (NIH)Fact sheets, brochures, press releases, videos and other information from the nation's medical research agency

Mayo ClinicPatient information, research and more from one of the nation's top medical institutions

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Health information for the public on many topics, including vaccines, children's health, global and environmental health, emergencies, diseases, healthy living and more

Updated/Reviewed: March 20, 2012

[Guest guest]

I don't think at this time there is a way to access uptodate thru healthy vet.

>

> > In the Spotlight

> >

> > Navigating Your Way to Good Health: Finding Reliable Information Online

> >

> > As a Veteran, you might feel you can handle your health on your own. And

with all of the health information available on the Internet, it shouldn't be

too hard to find.

> >

> > It's certainly true that your health is ultimately your responsibility. The

Pew Internet & American Life Project conducted a study that showed eight in ten

Americans have looked up health information on the Web. But you want to make

sure the online health information you get is accurate and reliable. So how do

you separate the good information from the bad †" or even the downright

dangerous?

> >

> > First and foremost, consider the source, says Dr. Woods, staff

physician at the Portland VA Medical Center in Portland, Ore., and Associate

National Director for eHealth at the Veterans Health Administration Office of

Informatics and Analytics.

> >

> > " When you use the Web, check to see who runs the site, " said Woods. " Is it a

government agency? A research group? A company? Does the information come from a

credible health system like the Mayo Clinic or a federal website like the

National Institutes of Health? "

> >

> > To find quality information:

> >

> >

> > Dr. Woods, Portland VA Medical Center

> > Check the date. Go to the bottom of the Web page to see when information was

posted or last updated. This is especially important for health information,

which can change often based on new research.

> >

> > Check the experts. Look for whether the information was written or reviewed

by an expert. Read the " About Us " section to learn who operates the site.

> >

> > Avoid the sales pitch. Beware of sites plugging a product or service †" or

that are full of advertisements or personal testimonials.

> >

> > Get a second opinion. Check the information against one or several other

websites to see if it matches up. Share what you find with your doctor.

> >

> > Trust your gut. Rely on your gut feeling and common sense. If the

information seems untrue, it probably is.

> > How Can VA and My HealtheVet Help?

> >

> > The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) created My HealtheVet to give

you information you can trust and help you take charge of your health. Make it

your first online stop.

> >

> >

> > It is important to look critically at any web site offering health

information, and compare information from different sources.

> > " All the Vets I spoke with love it, " said Ralph Stott, a retired Vietnam

Veteran who volunteers to register Veterans on My HealtheVet at the Captain

A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago, IL. " In my opinion,

My HealtheVet takes care of physical, mental and even spiritual needs. If you go

to My HealtheVet, really look at what's offered and actually apply some of the

useful things they have, it can give you a new lease on life. "

> >

> > It did for Stott. Using the activity and food journals on My HealtheVet,

Stott revamped his exercise and eating habits. Now he rides his bicycle, runs

two miles a day and eats less meat and more fruit. He also switched to skim

milk.

> >

> > " Eating healthier has given me so much energy I can hardly contain myself, "

said Stott. " I'm in better health now at 68 than I was when I was playing

football in high school. "

> >

> > My HealtheVet is designed to work with VA's health system to give Veterans

coordinated, full-service care.

> >

> > " Vets have a primary care, patient-aligned team, which they communicate with

in several ways, " said Woods. " For instance, a Vet can go to My HealtheVet for

information and then communicate with the team through Secure Messaging or by

phone to check it out, according to Woods. " It's the team's purpose to triage

the Veteran's concern. "

> >

> > Through My HealtheVet, " we're trying to deliver a spectrum of care using

whatever tools are at the Veteran's disposal, ranging from virtual communication

with a health care provider through Secure Messaging to face-to-face care, "

Woods said. " What the VA offers is wonderful. "

> >

> > Learn More

> >

> > The Pew Internet & American Life Project

> > Highlights of the Pew Internet Project's research related to health and

health care.

> > Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)

> > More health information from the VA

> > Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

> > Three government websites the FTC recommends for health information

> > National Institutes of Health (NIH)

> > Fact sheets, brochures, press releases, videos and other information from

the nation's medical research agency

> > Mayo Clinic

> > Patient information, research and more from one of the nation's top medical

institutions

> > U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

> > Health information for the public on many topics, including vaccines,

children's health, global and environmental health, emergencies, diseases,

healthy living and more

> >

> > Updated/Reviewed: March 20, 2012

> >

> >

>