The Historical Medical Library is pleased to announce that the Records of the Consumer Health Information Center (CHIC) and the records of its successor, Philly Health Info (PHI), have been fully processed and are ready for researcher use. The CHIC was a College-run community resource that provided the public with access to the latest information about medical and health concerns. Available resources included electronic information, journals, newsletters, pamphlets, videocassettes, and a circulating collection of books. It operated from 1995 to 2002 and was replaced with a health resources web portal, Philly Health Info (ended in 2012).
The centerpiece of Philly Health Info was a web portal that offered health and medical information and a directory of health resources and services for the Greater Philadelphia region. The home page featured a health periodical containing the latest developments in medical care and disease prevention strategies. The portal featured several “master” websites including The National Library of Medicine's/National Institute of Health's MED LINE Plus and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Healthfinder. These websites were supplemented with over 200 links arranged by topic. Online help was offered to patrons of the portal in real time or via an e-mail request form.
However, unable able to secure grant funding after 2010, the College and PHI staff re-evaluated the program and its sustainability. The College decided to incorporate PHI into its plans for a new College website. Core elements from PHI, including lessons, trainings, and calendar/events listings, were included on a page (“Public Resources”) of the new Center for Education and Public Initiatives section of the College website.
The records of the CHIC and PHI are valuable resources for those interested in late 20th-century public health initiatives and their impact on communities. The finding aid for the Records of CHIC is available here: http://cpparchives.org/repositories/2/resources/1613; the finding aid for the Records of PHI is available here: http://cpparchives.org/repositories/2/resources/1764.