Internet Sources for Information about COPD
For those of you who use a computer, RT magazine recently listed these internet sites as sources for people with chronic lung disease to learn about their disease.
- www.goldcopd.com (Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease)
The GOLD guidelines outline the recommended diag- nosis, classification and treatments for COPD they would like to see health professionals follow. You will also find education and management tools.
- www.nhlbi.nih.gov (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
The site offers information about heart and lung disease.
- www.airnow.gov (AirNow)
This site contains local and national air quality conditions and forecasts.
- www.healthcare.gov (Hospital Compare)
This Web site helps find information on how well hospitals care for patients with certain medical conditions or surgical procedures. The results came from a survey of patients about the quality of care they received during a recent hospital stay.
New information and tools have been added that will make the health insurance market easier to understand.Price estimates for private insurance policies are available, allowing consumers to easily compare health insurance plans – putting consumers not their
• insurance companies in charge – by providing one-stop shopping and taking the guesswork and confusion out c of buying insurance.
www.your lung helthorg(your lung with)
This is a web site for people with polmanary disaea sponsered by the American for Respirad tory Care.
www.lungusa.org/lung-disease (American Lung Association)
Find information specific to COPD, clinical information and links to Better Breathers clubs You can also register for emailbulletins 
http://patients.thoracic.org (American Thoracic Society)
The American Thoracic Society (ATS) aims to provide useful information and Web links to those who have an interest in lung, sleep, or critical care problems, treat- ment, and prevention. The ATS covers various topics for children and adults, and new topics and updates are added regularly.
- www.healthfinder.gov (Healthfinder®)
.This is a gateway consumer health information Web site whose goal is “to improve consumer access to selected health information from government agencies, their many partner organizations, and other reliable sources that serve the public interest.” The developer and sponsor of this site is the Office of Disease revention and Health Promotion, Department of health and Human Services.
- www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus (MEDLINEplus)
You will find an alphabetical list of health topics onsisting of more than 300 specific diseases, conditions, nd wellness issues. Each health topic page contains nks to information on that subject. Additional esources include physician and hospital directories, everal online medical dictionaries, and consumer rug information available by generic or brand name.
- www.centerwatch.com (Clinical Trials) his site directs patients and doctors to any clinical rials taking place.
- copdnewsoftheday.com (COPD News of the Day) ou will be able to subscribe to receive a daily email ith COPD news from Karen Bastille, a person with hronic lung disease.
a
l