MUNDELEIN, IL --(Marketwired - July 25, 2013) - Nearly six out of 10 U.S. adults have searched online for health information in the past year, and one in three Americans has gone online at one time or another to diagnose a medical condition, according to a Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project study. In response to Americans' insatiable appetite for medical information, Medline University , Medline Industries, Inc.'s free online educational resource for medical professionals, is expanding to now include consumer information for patients and family members about common medical questions and issues.
Medline University's new Patient Education section is designed to help answer frequently asked medical questions, such as how to communicate with your doctor and nurse, what questions to ask your physician, how to prepare for visits to the hospital or doctor's office, how to start exercising and a host of other general topics and issues. The site also offers a health care-related newsfeed and a number of education guides on topics, including disorders and diagnosis, condition-related nutrition tips and what to expect when entering a long-term care facility.
"Our goal with making patient-oriented information available on Medline University is to help consumers make more informed decisions about their own health care and the care of their loved ones," said Tonya Dixon, MSN, MPH, MBA, clinical nurse specialist for Medline. "More people are taking control of their own care or attending to the health needs of their family members. Because of this, there is a greater need for user-friendly information and Medline University is helping to deliver that."
Another unique feature of the site is " Beyond the Shock ®," a comprehensive guide on breast cancer awareness. For the past eight years, Medline has chosen the National Breast Cancer Awareness Foundation (NBCF) as its charitable partner. With an estimated one in eight women in the United States developing breast cancer sometime in their lifetime, the organizations have rallied together around the common mission to save lives through educational resources, early detection programs and free mammogram services for people in need. NBCF created the interactive videos, content and platform with the help of medical experts, doctors and researchers from around the world. Because of Medline's commitment to this cause, this robust resource for understanding breast cancer is now available under the Patient Education tab on Medline University.
Launched in 2006, Medline University has more than 400,000 users and offers more than 250 free courses for continuing education credit, as well as training courses and educational resources on the latest industry trends to help clinicians and health care staff enhance patient care.
About Medline
As the nation's largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of health care products, Medline manufactures and distributes more than 350,000 products to hospitals, extended care facilities, surgery centers, physician offices, home care agencies and providers, and retailers. Named one of the country's "Best and Brightest Companies to Work For," Medline is headquartered in Mundelein, Ill. and has more than 1,100 dedicated sales representatives to support its broad product line and cost management services. For more information on Medline, go to www.medline.com .
Contact information John Marks (847) 643-3309 jmarks@medline.com
