Legal assistants are frequently assigned the task of locating and reviewing medical records. Several online resources are available to assist in the reviewing process.
If you come across terms you do not understand, two online medical dictionaries you can consult are MedicineNet.com (select “MedTerms Dictionary”) and National Institute of Health’s MedLinePlus (http://www.nih.gov). To use the medical dictionary in MedlinePlus, select “MedlinePlus” and then enter the medical term in the search box. If you want to get some anatomical information, in English or Spanish, “MEDtropolis” (http://www.medtropolis.com) is one possible source.
Select “Virtual Body” and move your cursor over the parts of the body you want to identify and then get a close-up lateral view of those parts you want magnified. You can also receive a narrative tour of body organs and systems.
MedicineNet.com and MedEngine! provide links to a great many other medical resources dealing with diseases and conditions, procedures and tests, drugs, medical associations, medical publications and references, and a host of other topics. Another excellent source of medical information is Martindale’s Health Science Guide, which can be found at http://www.martindalecenter.com. In addition to offering general medical information, dictionaries, and diagnostic and treatment information, it has tutorials on anatomy. Medscape.com.
(http://www.medscape.com) has direct links to clinical medical articles, a physician’s directory, drug information, and MedLine (references and abstracts from medical journals). You must register before you can access this site.
The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy (17th edition) full text is now available online for no charge at http://www.merck.com, by selecting “Merck Manuals” link.
Considered the physician’s “bible,” it is a seminal source of information regarding clinical procedures, diagnosis, pharmacology, and contemporary therapy for almost all disorders. The Merck Manual of Medical Information—Home Edition is also available online.
Using the online medical resources just described, find out the following:
1. What is an anterior cruciate ligament?
2. Where is it located, and what function does it serve in the body?
3. How is a torn ACL repaired?