Online education provides ultimate convenience and flexibility for adult learners with multiple obligations. Besides typically having “24/7” access to online course and supplemental materials, online health information students can enjoy other online resources.
This article provides students attending online health information schools with a helpful list of 50 top blog resources on relevant topics. The resources listed here describe various areas of online health information fields from news and reviews, as well as valuable contributions from professionals in various fields of health care.
Journals, Reviews, and other General Health Information Resources
This section provides online health information students with a variety of resources. The blogs contain news and reviews, and expert information from experts in various fields of the health care industry.
- Physician News
This electronic version of a print newspaper for health information in New Jersey and Pennsylvania has been online since 1996. The Physician News Digest provides medical news and practice management advice covering such topics as health policy, medical economics, and health care law and technology. In addition, this blog contains links to separate physician, insurance, and wealth management blogs for more online health information.
- MobiHealth News
This blog features news and reviews about the latest health care mobile technology. The blog’s authors attempt to provide “breaking news, exclusive interviews, live event coverage and industry commentary” about wireless services that enhance the delivery of health information in the industry.
- eCareManagement
Founder of Better Health Care Technologies, Vince Kuraitis, authors this blog to share his 25 years of experience in the health care field. He specifically focuses on chronic disease management and eHealth applications for home, work, and communities.
- Crossover Healthcare
The blog’s author provides a look at what he terms “next generation healthcare.” Using a “modern technology platform, practice model, and provider network,” patients can access a new type of “patient-centered, membership-based health organization.”
- EMR Daily News
The authors of this blog have several years of experience in the field of Electronic Medical Records (EMR). This blog provides health information students with relevant and timely details about the vital aspect of medical providers’ digital dictation and transcription services.
Health Care Ethics, Law, and Policies
This section provides health information students with blogs addressing some of the “behind the scenes” health care details. Some of the topics include health care law, policies, ethics, finance, and technology.
- Health Care Law Blog
Health care lawyer, Bob Coffield, authors this blog to help people stay informed about health care law. He focuses on a wide variety of topics, including health care and legal issues, health care law-related industry news, privacy, security, health care social media, and health care technology.
- SoundPractice.net
This blog features articles and podcasts from the Journal of Medical Practice Management. Topics included on the blog are law and medicine, and health policy, as well as medical practice management, finance, and technology.
- Health Blawg
David Harlow, health care lawyer and consultant, provides health information on this blog from his experience and expertise of over 20 years in both private and public sectors of the health care industry. In his blog, he focuses on business, legal, and policy issues facing the health care community.
- Healthcare Blogger Code of Ethics
This blog, quite appropriately, addresses the ethics of blogging about sensitive health information. The blog covers the importance of ethical blogging, provides codes for blogging with integrity, and contains links to medical and patient blogs.
- Health Wonk Review
The authors of this blog of this blog provide a valuable directory of “the best health policy blogs” on a bi-weekly basis. The blog and its related blogs cover “health policy, funding, insurance, managed care, infrastructure, IT, the uninsured, economics, and trends” in all those areas.
Career Options for Health Information Students
This section contains blogs for health information students considering careers in health care, especially as they approach graduation. Among the careers featured are nursing, various types of therapy, health care administration, and other positions.
- Aureus Medical Group
This blog provides details about career options for health information students. The Aureus Medical Group includes staffing solutions for numerous health care positions, including nursing, oncology, diagnostic imaging, rehab therapy, medical lab, and pharmacy.
- Official Therapist Blog
Students looking to graduate soon will benefit from this blog, particularly if they are interested in information about various therapy career openings. This blog provides details about a wide variety of therapist jobs, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, radiation oncology, and diagnostic imaging.
- The Male Nurse
This blog provides health information for male students interesting in a nursing career. The blog’s author attempts to address what has been a “non-traditional” career for men by providing valuable articles, information about scholarships, and resources for male nurse clothing and high-tech tools.
- The Nursing Site Blog
Kathy Quan, who is an RN with her BSN degree, authors this blog. She encourages health information students to pursue health care careers, particularly nursing, to help meet the current nursing shortage.
- Christina’s Considerations
Christina Thielst presents a look at the career of a hospital and healthcare administrator from her own experience and expertise. Among the many topics she covers are operations and system management, relationship building with medical professionals, and planning, assessment, and evaluation of strategic initiatives. She specializes in health information exchange.
Contributions from Health Information Professors and Professionals
This section contains blogs featuring valuable information and life experiences of health information professors and lecturers. The blog authors serve in various capacities as professors at different universities.
- Lisa Neal Gualtieri
Adjunct clinical professor for Tufts University’s School of Medicine, Lisa Neal Gualtieri, hosts this blog on which she discusses the value and use of “innovative technologies for health and education.” Some of the important health information she covers are online consumer health, patient-physician communication regarding using the Internet, e-learning and knowledge management, and proper design of health websites to promote credible health information.
- Informatics Professor
Dr. Hersh is a “leader and innovator in biomedical informatics both in education and research” and currently teaches at Oregon Health & Science University. He maintains this blog to share his thoughts and expertise on topics related to biomedical and health informatics.
- KevinMD.com
Dr. Kevin Pho, board certified in internal medicine, provides “provocative physician commentary on breaking medical news.” He covers a variety of topics covering medical news, treatments, and clinical tools.
- The e-Public Health Blog
This blog’s author is a graduate student researcher and board certified exercise physiologist. He focuses on electronic public health tools, application, and innovation, as well as information and communication technologies (ICT) for healthcare delivery.
- Information Therapy
Dr. Joseph Seidman, the blog’s author, holds graduate degrees in health services research, and health policy and management. His focus is improving people’s health through making evidence-based health information available to consumers.
Women’s Health Topics
This section offers blogs with health information on topics of concern to women. Included in the list are sexual health, reproductive health, childbirth, breast cancer, general health and well-being, as well as dieting, exercise, and weight loss.
- All About My Vagina
The blog’s author provides health information on numerous topics related to women’s reproductive and sexual health. Among the numerous topics on this blog are birth control, hormones, menstruation, and sex education.
- Women’s Health News
Medical librarian Rachel Walden, author of this blog, has a graduate degree in library and information science. She provides valuable health information on this blog for current news, events, legislation, and policies related to women’s health issues. Her goal is to help women become better informed about their own health.
- Knitted in the Womb
This blog features health information on pregnancy and childbirth, authored by a childbirth educator who is also a mother. Some of the topics covered in the blog include natural childbirth, Caesarean births, and VBAC, as well as birth stories and related concerns, such as vaccines.
- The Birth Survey
This blog resulted from a 2006 conference focusing on improving maternity services and covering issues most important to birthing mothers. The outcome from the conference and ongoing efforts to promote the cause includes using the blog to advance the “wellness model of maternity care that will improve birth outcomes and substantially reduce costs.”
- The Unnecesarean
This blog serves as a patient advocacy site to provide crucial health information regarding the unnecessary high rate of Cesareans, or C-sections, performed on women who could give birth naturally. The blog provides a variety of links, resources, and articles.
- Doulicia
The author—a mother, labor doula, and non-practicing lawyer—hosts this blog for health information regarding the topic of midwifery. She covers issues related to pregnancy and childbirth from the perspective of a midwife, or doula, and compares/contrasts that experience with what women experience with traditional doctors and hospitals.
- IDEAS for Women
In addition to covering many other topics, this blog’s author specifically covers health information of importance to women. Among her many topics are general health and well-being, fitness, weight loss, and dieting.
- The Women’s Sexual Health Foundation Blog
This blog derives from the Women's Sexual Health Foundation, an international non-profit foundation. The blog strives to educate women and healthcare providers on women's sexual health difficulties, and presents health trends and research affecting women.
- BirthControlBuzz.com
This unique blog provides a plethora of credible information about birth control for women, from a staff comprised of “pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, physicians, nurses, and medical office assistants.” The health information here includes birth control statistics, types of birth control with comparison charts, and articles on related topics of interest.
- Beating Breast Cancer
This blog features the victorious story of Marjory Cameron, a nurse and breast cancer survivor. Her husband Gordon is a family doctor and together they share the story from discovery of the cancer through her breast cancer treatment. They also present information about signs and symptoms of breast cancer, surgery and treatment options, and breast cancer survivors.
Children’s Health Issues
This section covers blogs addressing children’s health issues. Among the blog authors are pediatricians and renowned advocate for parents making healthy choices for their children, including “saying no” to vaccinations.
- Pediatrics Now
Pediatrics physician, Dr. Gwenn Schurgin O’Keeffe, started this blog to provide valuable and credible health information for families. She strives to provide current health news related to children and families, as well as parenting concerns and child health studies and issues.
- Health Kids Pediatrics Blog
Dr. Deborah Baine, a pediatrics specialist, authors this blog. She focuses on health, wellness, and prevention tips for families. She desires to provide health information to bridge “the gap between alternative and traditional approaches to medical treatment.”
- Dr. Tenpenny on Vaccines
Dr. Sherri Tenpenny has a reputation “as one of the country's most outspoken and knowledgeable physicians on vaccines and their impact on health.” In this blog, she shares from her significant expertise regarding the dangers associated with various vaccines.
- Child Psych
Dr. Catherine Busch, the author of this blog, is a child psychologist. She shares from her expertise on the topics of child psychological trauma, sexual abuse, depression, attention deficit disorder, and other mental health issues.
- Reading and Other Learning Disabilities
The authors of this blog are Dr. Howard Margolis, a specialist in reading and special education, and Dr. Gary Brannigan, clinical and school psychologist. They offer their combined years of experience and expertise to provide crucial health information about autism, developmental disabilities, learning disabilities, reading disabilities, and other disorders affecting children’s abilities to learn.
Men’s Health Issues
This section contains blogs covering topics of interest for men’s health issues. Among the included topics are male fertility and reproductive health, and surgical procedures; exercise, fitness, and weight loss; and prostate health.
- Turek on Men’s Health
Dr. Paul Turek is a urologist specializing in male reproductive medicine and microsurgery. He shares his expertise in this blog, addressing male fertility and sexual health issues, including vasectomy and vasectomy reversal, testicular mapping, sperm retrieval, and male fertility treatments.
- Men’s HealthZine
Editor-in-Chief Joey Capone authors this blog, along with his staff of contributing writers who are all medical professionals in various fields. The blog features articles, reviews, and recommendations on various topics of interest for men’s health, including dieting, exercise, fitness, mental health, sexual health, therapy, and weight loss.
- Talking About Men’s Health (TAMH)
Drew Saleans, editor-in-chief, and his staff of contributing writers with various health and nutrition degrees, provide the content for this blog. The blog contain health information on general health concerns for men and boys, with a focus on prostate health.
- Andrew is getting fit
The blog’s author, Andrew, shares his inspiring story about losing weight and becoming fit through eating right, exercising, and running marathons. Down from 309 lbs. several years ago, Andrew is close to reaching his goal of 187 lbs., as of 2010.
- Malecare Advanced Prostate Cancer Program
This blog addresses the sobering circumstances of advanced prostate cancer. The author, Joel Nowak, is currently a cancer survivor—of FOUR cancers, including prostate cancer. He provides relevant advice for men diagnosed with prostate cancer and offers tips for spouses and families to support their loved ones during this time.
Senior Health and End of Life Issues
This section presents blogs addressing issues faced by seniors and other individuals approaching end of life situations. Topics include legislation and policies affecting an individual’s autonomy to make medical decisions.
- Quality of Life Care
The blog’s author is Deanna Cochran, an RN certified in Hospice and Palliative Care (end of life field) since 2000. She covers various topics pertinent to caring for individuals who have reached the end of their lives, due to age, illness/ disease, disorder, or injury.
- Medical Futility
Law Professor, Timothy Pope, authors this blog to address end of life issues. He covers related “judicial, legislative, policy, and academic developments concerning medical futility and the limits on individual autonomy at the end of life.”
- Who Moved My Dentures?
Aging and senior health expert, Anthony Cirillo, authors this blog. He provides health information on senior aging and healthcare issues, including caregiving and nursing homes.
- Transition Aging Parents
This blog’s author, Dale Carter, began this blog as a means to share her experience with helping her aging mother through her health crisis. Carter learned about eldercare, stages of aging, and options available during transitions.
- Nursing Homes Abuse Blog
Attorney Jonathan Rosenfeld, this blog’s author, represents individuals who have suffered neglect and injury in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities. The blog presents sobering and disturbing health information on a variety of maladies faced by seniors in some of these facilities, which include bed sores, burns, dehydration, food poisoning, hip fracture, malnutrition, and unexplained bruising.
Specific Physical and Mental Health Issues
This section covers blogs offering health information on specific health issues. Some topics include obesity, anxiety and depression, plastic and reconstructive surgery, allergies and asthma.
- First, Do No Harm
This blog provides health information about obesity. The team of contributing authors share sobering details about prejudice in the health care industry towards “fat” people. The blog also contains links to advocacy groups and medical professions sympathetic to the specific concerns of overweight patients.
- Reach Out
This blog offers valuable mental health information for teens by a team of contributing writers and editors. Among the numerous topics covered are coping tips for the following: managing anxiety, stress, and depression; dealing with alcohol, drug, and substance abuse; anger management and violence; loss and grief; relationships; and transitions. The blog contains articles, audio clips, and videos.
- Truth in Cosmetic Surgery
Dr. John Di Saia (known as Dr. D), the blog’s author, is a board certified plastic surgeon, as well as a reconstructive surgeon for trauma, skin and breast cancer. He strives to provide truthful health information about plastic surgery, to combat the “spam farms.”
- Allergy Notes
This blog’s author is Dr. Ves Dimov, an allergist, immunologist, board-certified Internal Medicine Physican, and assistant professor at the University of Chicago. His and his fellow doctors with similar qualifications share their expertise about health information related to allergies and asthma.
- Regenerative Medicine Today
This blog presents an “exploration of emerging scientific and medical discoveries.” Podcasts features a variety of professionals is specialty fields including biology, neuropathology, and cellular and molecular engineering.
This article endeavored to supply online health information students with 50 top blogs to use as resources for various fields of online health information. Divided into nine specific categories, the article provides students with blogs containing a broad assortment of information, from news and views on broad categories, to specialized areas of concern in the health care industry.
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