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Main > FAQs
- Where can I find out about my doctor's background and credentials?
If your doctor practices in New York State, you can use the New York Physician Profiler to find where your doctor went to school, what he or she specializes in as well as vital information about
any history of malpractice or criminal convictions. For more information on physicians' credentials, please see "Physician Information", one of HealthInfo's Research Guides for detailed
information this topic.
- Where can I find information about nurses, physical therapists, veterinarians, nursing homes and other health care providers and facilities?
Please see our list of online resources on Health Care Providers & Facilities.
- Where can I find a doctor that specializes in treating a specific disease or condition?
You can find directories of "board certified physicians" in print at a number of New York Public Library locations. Use the LEO catalog and search by title for "The Official ABMS Directory of Board Certified
Medical Specialists". The online
version of this resource, "Who's Certified?" is also available via our online resources on Health Care Providers & Facilities. The site requires registration
to search, but it is free.
- How do I find information on a disease or medical condition?
For online resources, you can go to Comprehensive Health to find a list of links to webpages that discuss a variety of medical diseases and conditions.
To find a book, you will want to use the LEO catalog and select Subject (alphabetical)
from the pull-down menu and enter the name of a specific disease or condition. If you don't find the results you are looking for, try a keyword search or contact the Health Information Center for guidance and advice.
- My doctor wants me to have a medical test. Where can I find an overview of what to expect?
Overviews of medical tests and procedures may be found online in MedlinePlus and NOAH. If you prefer a book, try a subject search in LEO for "diagnosis,
laboratory" or "diagnosis".
- What do my lab tests results mean?
Test results are generally designed for a healthcare provider's interpretation and can easily be misinterpreted. It's best to ask your doctor to describe the results. You can find some general information about lab tests in MedlinePlus and NOAH,
but keep in mind that these results apply to the general public and do not take into account your personal health condition.
- Where can I find videos of surgical procedures?
MedlinePlus has a number of videos of surgical procedures.
- My doctor has prescribed a new medicine. Where can I find more information about the drug and its side effects?
MedlinePlus is a great source for the typical kinds of questions about prescription and over-the-counter medication, such as side effects, dosage and what to do if you forget a dose. For more
in-depth information, try Clinical
Pharmacology.
Books may be found via a search on LEO. Try a Subject (alphabetical) search for "drugs" or "drugs, nonprescription".
- I have a citation of an article from a journal, but I need the full text. Where can I find it?
The New York Public Library has a number of resources for finding full text articles. First of all, be sure to copy the bibliographic information correctly. You'll need the name of the magazine or journal the article was published in; the title
of the article and it's author(s) as well as the volume, number and publication date of the issue the article was included in. The New York Public Library offers full text articles from hundreds of health-related magazines and journals. Please
see: Full
Text, Abstracts & Indexes. You can use the advanced search feature on these databases to enter the title of the article, name of journal, author(s), etc. to see if the article you are looking for is included.
If you can't find the article online (or if you prefer print), you will want to search the LEO catalog to see if the New York Public Library has the actual hard copy of the magazine or journal. Please see: LEO Use
the pull-down menu to search by title. Almost all of the New York Public Library's Health and Medical magazines and journals are located at the Mid-Manhattan Library on the 4th floor. They may be photocopied.
The Mid-Manhattan Library's Health Information Center also offers a number of other options for obtaining journal articles.
- Can I access the New York Public Library's online magazines, journals, newspapers and encyclopedias from home?
With your New York Public Library card number, you may search for newspaper, magazine and journal articles from electronic resources to which NYPL subscribes. The databases with the house symbol can be accessed remotely unless there is a firewall
blocking access.
- How are websites selected for HealthInfo?
Librarians from the Health Information Center select websites based on the quality, authority and currency of content. The main purpose of selected sites is to educate, not sell a product or service. For more information on health information
evaluation, please see Evaluation.
- Which New York Public Library has the largest collection of health books, journals and videorecordings?
The Health Information Center, located at the Mid-Manhattan Library.
- Why should I discuss the information found on HealthInfo with my healthcare provider?
The purpose of HealthInfo is to provide you with a wide range of health and medical information, not to give medical advice or interpretation. It is not intended to replace the advice of a healthcare professional. The health information found on the Internet or in books, journals or videorecordings applies to the average person. A number of factors may influence how this information apples to you as an individual, such as age, gender, other conditions, etc. The information found in this site should not be considered a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Don't avoid or delay obtaining medical advice from your doctor or other healthcare provider because of something you have read or seen on this site (or anywhere else). If you are in New York City and have a medical emergency, call 911.
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