Kansas Health Online is a new Web site with a focus on health transparency for consumers. It is a collaborative project developed by the Kansas Health Policy Authority, the State Library of Kansas, and Dykes Library at KU Medical Center and is part of the health policy reform package recommended by the Health Policy Authority.
Kansas Health Online empowers Kansans to make more informed decisions by providing information on health and health care in an easy to use and easy to understand format. Consumers will find tools, links, and information to compare hospitals, find doctors, compare health plans, analyze symptoms, get latest information on medical conditions, make healthy lifestyle choices and learn more about health policy.
Information on Kansas Health Online is reviewed by medical librarians to ensure reliability and relevance to Kansas consumers. More information will be added in the coming weeks and months, including information on health care costs and on local health resources such as clinics, associations, and support groups.
How Can Libraries Help?
NEKLS will host a focus group on August 18 for consumers to ascertain their health concerns, information needs and determine if the information provided by Kansas Health Online meets their needs.
Carolyn Little and I will work with local libraries to gather information about local health resources, such as AA chapters, free clinics, and soup kitchens. This information will be linked to the Kansas Health Online Web site as the “Go Local Kansas” link. Go Local Kansas is part of the National Library of Medicine’s Go Local database.
Every library in NEKLS is encouraged to add a link to Kansas Health Online and provide information about local health resources and services.
Aids:
