Welcome to Partners for Health Information!

Partners for Health Information provides web based health information resources for the workers, clients and patients of many non-profit health centers and organizations in Washington, DC.

The project has supplied computers, training, and web resources directly to the clinics so their staff and patients have access to current, non-technical health information in English and Spanish. We welcome everyone to use the information here; much of it is tailored to the needs of people in the metropolitan Washington area.

The Partners program believes that everyone deserves quality health care and all the conditions of life that lead to good health. Good health results from the kind of society that we live in -- not just from the decisions we make to eat right, exercise, and get medical care.

Poverty and racism are two of the biggest problems that harm our health. Therefore, you will see information on organizations and activities that fight for better conditions.

Partners for Health Information is a member of Health Information Partners - HIPS at http://connectforhealth.gwu.edu, a health information coalition in the metropolitan Washington area formed to promote reliable health information to increase people's health literacy and overcome inequalities in online health information access and use.

Our web links cover several topics:

• Conditions and Diseases - information on the major illnesses or conditions seen by the clinics

• Prevention and Healthy Living - information on healthy conditions for ourselves, our families and the environment

• Medications - information on how to take medicines safely and recognize harmful effects

• Medical Procedures - information on preparing for common medical tests

• Community Resources - information on jobs, housing, health care, and other local services and organizations fighting back for better health

• Social Networks - information on local events, support groups, links to newspapers in Central America

• Research Information - health disparities, cultural competence, local statistics, clinical trials, evaluating web resources, and more

This site is an ongoing project; more will be added throughout the year. However, it is meant to provide some sites we can use in coaching and teaching; it is not meant to be comprehensive or broad in scope. Let us know what links or documents you recommend, and we will try to update it when possible.

Thanks to all who are participating:

All the staff and patients at the health centers who welcome us to their "homes" and eagerly learn new skills, translate information, and take on this project as their own.

Our volunteers in the GW School of Public Health & Health Services , the ISCOPES project, health information coaches, and MPH Special Project students who make the visits, create our information, and help evaluate the project.

The National Library of Medicine National Network of Libraries of Medicine, Southeastern Atlantic region for funding and encouragement.

All the staff at the George Washington University Medical Center's Educational Resources Division and Himmelfarb Library who ordered the computers, negotiated the database licences, designed the web page, taught our classes, visited the clinics, and delivered articles.

The GWU Research Services office and the IRB for processing our contracts and approving our evaluations.

Our new colleagues in HIPS, including members from library, literacy, health, and social service organizations.

To see our pictures, click on the Partners Photo Gallery, Partners Workshops, and Clinic Photos.

To contact us, call 202/994-3623 or email Karyn Pomerantz at kpomeran@gwu.edu. Thank you!

Partners for Health Information
GWUMC, Washington, DC, with funding from NLM.
Contact: 202.994-3623 or kpomeran@gwu.edu
Updated on July 13, 2009.