|
|
|
|
Home
|
About Us
|
Resources
|
Links
|
Volunteer
|
Contact
|
|
In addition to the following list of links by State, we maintain a list of links to
Other Organizations and also a list of contacts in the
Spokane area, where the offices of the Seizure Education and Resource Center are located.
SERC does not endorse any of the organizations or individuals on these lists. Links and contact information are provided solely for reference. |
| Medical: |
|
The Seizure Education and Resource Center (SERC) does not recommend or comment on medical practitioners, including
primary care physicians, neurologists, and neuropsychologists. The best place to begin to look for a medical practioner
is to enter the specialty and your city into a search engine. For instance, you might enter the words "Neurologist Atlanta."
One such search returned 308,000 pages, which isn't very helpful. However, the very first one was a listing of local business
results for Neurologists in Atlanta and clicking on it returned a list of 508 pages. Much better, but still not a small enough
list. Since the addresses of all the neurologists were listed with their names, the next step would be click on the links to neurologists whose offices are with the range that you're willing or able to travel. Write down their names, addresses and phone numbers and then call them. This is important because not all neurologists treat seizure or related disorders. Some of them specialize in other areas, like multiple schlerosis or headaches. Once you have a short list in hand, it's also a good idea to check their credentials. Quackwatch summarizes how to do this and provides links to both free and fee based resources. Word of mouth is another common way that people decide on a medical provider. After checking a medical provider's credential's, others may be a helpful resource. Remember that the medical provider that one person doesn't like may be the very person you're looking for and, conversely, just because others are happy with a particular medical provider, that doesn't mean that you will be. Ultimately, medical providers are part of your team. They work FOR YOU and you're the boss. That doesn't mean you have the right to treat them disrespectfully by being bossy, but it does mean that you have the right to question any suggested treatment and even say "no" if you feel strongly about an issue. If you are the kind of person who finds it difficult to advocate for yourself, you may want to consider asking a family member or friend to walk this path with you. That includes going to your doctor's visits with you and discussing treatment suggestions after leaving the office. Medical providers are responsible for your medical treatment, but you are the one whose life is impacted by the decisions about your healthcare. So, if the doctor prescribes makes it too difficult to think, tell your doctor. If it upsets your stomach, tell you doctor. And if your healthcare isn't satisfactory, talk with others about it and see if they can help you find a resolution - that includes your doctor - but, in the end, if the relationship just isn't working, you may want to consider finding a different doctor. You're the one who is responsible for putting the best team in place to enhance the quality of your life. |
| State Assistance: |
|
You may find information that is helpful to you on websites other than your own State's. Of course, each state differs in the programs and assistance they offer. However, each of them has a main agency or department that can advise you who to contact in your area. Most commonly listed under "Services" or "Agencies" they may be listed as links or appear as tabs across the top or down the side of the site. And, they have various names such as the Department of Health and Social Services, the Department of Health and Human Services, or the Department of Social and Health Services. Often State Agencies will have a list of links to national groups or documents that apply to all states. One way you can find some of them is by entering keywords like "epilepsy" or "disability" into the State's keyword search box. Don't be afraid to contact the agencies directly at the State level if it's not obvious who to contact in your local area or if you aren't getting the services that you need in your local offices. Sometimes State agencies can be more responsive than their local offices, especially when the local offices are drowning under heavy caseloads. Finally, if you have difficulty locating State agencies to assist you or provide information, feel free to email us at info@sercsite.org for assistance. |