Your doctor may be one of the best sources for advice about health resources. Other professionals who may be helpful include the staff at public health clinics or health fairs. Special interest health organizations, such as the American Cancer Society, are likely to provide valuable direction to health resources in their fields of concentration.
When you go for medical appointments, you may be advised to seek certain services or products. Since these things may not involve referrals or prescriptions, you may not be advised about the best sources for these health resources. For example, your nurse practitioner may tell you that a certain skin condition could benefit from spa treatments. Instead of taking this advice and setting out to follow it, ask questions about which spas and which treatments she recommends.
Take advantage of health and wellness fairs. These events may be organized by your school, employer, or a member of the community and they are usually free. This means you are likely to have access to professionals who are looking to raise awareness and can provide you with the direction you need.
Preventing illness is commonly viewed as a better option than treating illness. Due to this, many health insurance companies have begun to realize how much assisting their customers can pay off. Many have hot lines and websites you can use to get suggestions about which health resources may be beneficial and where those resources can be found. Also, be aware of correspondence your insurance company or physician sends in the mail. These may suggest certain health resources for you and members of your family.
Special interest organizations can be a great source of information about health resources in the areas that they specialize in. The American Heart Association, for example, may have a lot of advice on its website about products, treatments, and service providers for heart conditions and heart wellness. These organizations also commonly maintain help lines for those without Internet access or those who feel the need to speak with someone.
Your local health department should have a great deal of information about health resources that benefit people in your community. Unlike a general practice, a public health department generally focuses only on certain health conditions and many of these are often problems of local concern. Furthermore, a public health clinic is usually heavily relied upon by lower income individuals who tend to need advice about accessing good, low-cost health resources, meaning the information you need may be readily available from people who have a great deal of experience providing it.