Oct. 14 will mark the three-year anniversary of the James V. Brown Library's Patient Portal.
Located in the Vintage Wing of the library on the second floor, patrons are invited to research consumer health information in a more private location.
Researching information about a medical condition does not endorse self-treatment, but may provide answers to some common ailments and information about contacting professionals.
Patrons may view the library's online Health and Wellness Resource Center to learn more about health concerns from basic home remedies and childcare to what they may expect if an illness is more serious.
The website is user-friendly and comprehensible.
Also available in the Patient Portal are a wealth of free fact sheets on topics such as allergies, arthritis, diabetes, heart disease, strokes, healthy weight loss, fibromyalgia, depression, prostate and the PSA test, Alzheimer's disease and much more. The second floor of the library also holds a collection of consumer health books.
Health literacy is one of the five PA Forward initiatives that affect every living being. Providing the right dosage of medication to a child or an adult prevents serious side affects. Imagine a parent who is unable to read the instructions on a medicine bottle and gives their child too much cold medicine. How do we prevent this type of tragedy? We educate our community, we help our community, and we provide the services necessary to do both.
The Patient Portal and Health and Wellness Resource Center are funded by a generous donation from Robert and Charlene Shangraw in memory of Dr. Joseph Calder.
The James V. Brown Library is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. weekdays from noon to 5 p.m. weekends.
