Patients and consumers who would like assistance researching a particular health topic can e-mail Griffin's Health Resource Center (HRC) Librarians at griflib@griffinhealth.org.
The HRC at Griffin Hospital is an innovative community resource that offers a collection of easy to read and understand health and life-style related materials as well as access to the medical library used by physicians and health professionals for those who want to go further. It is a unique community lending library which provides an array of medical and health information, both traditional and alternative, so patients and their families can become better informed about their illness and can then make informed decisions about the various treatment options available to them. Anyone from the community can use the HRC to educate themselves on ways to enhance their well-being, prevent illness and play an active role in decisions about their lives and courses of treatment should they become ill.
The HRC houses a collection of approximately 5,000 books, including consumer journals and over 150 medical journals. The easy access Planetree Classification System groups information into 10 basic categories: reference, promoting health/preventing disease,mental health/ illness/ substance use, therapies/treatments, body systems and diseases, life processes, health care consumerism, health care field, and animal health. Because of the extensive collection of health related materials, local public librarians have been referring residents to Griffin's Resource Center.
The HRC is located just off the main lobby of Griffin Hospital with satellite centers on each patient floor for patient and visitor use. Community members are invited to visit the Center at 130 Division Street in Derby, Connecticut which is open daily. The hours are Monday, Tuesday & Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday & Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and every Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Membership to the HRC is free. To request a free membership card or request information, e-mail the HRC at griflib@griffinhealth.org, or call 203.732-7399.