01:00 AM EST on Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Doctors, pharmacists and other health-care providers who are trying to help their patients navigate the Medicare Part D drug benefit can find new guidance at the state Health Department's Web site.

The Web page (http://www.health.ri.gov) posted last week provides information on what to say to patients, handouts for patients, and a list of community forums organized by the state Department of Elderly Affairs. It also has charts of the plans available in Rhode Island, office toolkits, online courses and links to other resources.

"This new Web site can help providers learn more about Medicare Part D and respond more effectively to their patients' questions," health director David R. Gifford said in a statement. "It organizes professional information from the national and local Web sites into a place that affords providers easy and convenient access."