NATIONAL REFERRAL CENTER FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY. A NEW SERVICE FOR THOSE IN SEARCH OF INFORMATION.
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Drug discovery and early-stage drugs and biomarkers development is a continuous adaptation and maturation process. The cycle of changes based on new findings is coupled with shifts in research priorities and make this part of pharmaceutical research a challenging endeavour. Over the last years, the emphasis on genomics has shifted to proteomics, the science of understanding how proteins translate gene information into function, and metabonomics, the science of small metabolites that are further apart from genomic projects. Proteomics describes the analysis of the protein complement of a biological sample with respect to temporal and spatial resolution. This technology is based on separation of complex protein mixtures by 2D gel-electrophoresis, in gel digest and mass spectrometric analysis of the protein fragments. Proteomics has been recently flanked by peptidomics, a new research direction aimed at the comprehensive analysis of small (1-20 kDa) polypeptides, thus covering the gap between proteomics and metabonomics. The refinement of peptidomics is based on an essential paradigm related to modularity and diversity. Peptides are a paramount example of how one single gene can release multiple functionalities. We can expect fast progress in understanding protein and peptide networks from a systems biology approach ending in the discovery of new peptide targets. However, the way from a complex sample to potential diagnostic and therapeutic targets will depend on technological developments and from the ability to discriminate true disease-related signals from false positive and negative signals, and the way from target discovery to target validation will not be short.
The basis of an early warning system for new and emerging health technologies is information, and in particular, information that has been selectively extracted from the huge quantity of data in the fields of medicine, science, and biobusiness. The information will be useful only if presented in a format suitable to the needs of health care decision makers and produced at the time most likely to influence the introduction or diffusion of new technologies. In 1997 the Canadian Coordinating Office for Health Technology Assessment (CCOHTA) began a one-year pilot project to identify and provide information on developments in medical technologies that may have a significant impact on health care in Canada. We began by examining the information available to us through the Internet, based on the assumption that electronic sources can offer more timely access to a greater range of information, often with little or no cost involved. It was important to identify the sites that offered the most relevant information in the least amount of time.
This study evaluated the early phase of development of a model for quality improvement of habilitation and rehabilitation project processes. The focus of the methodologic support in habilitation and rehabilitation model was on cooperation between practice contexts and science. Habermas' theory about communicative action was a theoretical frame of reference. Three project coordinators and ten project leaders were interviewed. The results revealed different attitudes towards methodologic support activities, demonstrating the importance of acknowledging cognitive and social functions, the process of legitimization, different approaches of practice versus science, and problems regarding information and communication. The model was shown to be important in bridging the gap between practice and science. To support reflective and emancipatory cognitive learning, more efforts to foster communicative action are called for, and more attention must be paid to the importance different missions and organizational structures have for the development of the dialog between practitioners and researchers.
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This paper reports on a doctoral research project that examined the work of reference librarians in the health sciences domain. Categories of information work are derived and used to build Hyper-MedLib, a proof-of-concept h-journal. Findings from this study may be used in the design of electronic documents and information systems for the practice environments.
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Recently, a new field in science is emerging, which addresses the issue of ensuring that information that is generated from research, reaches the right people in the right format. This has been coined as knowledge transfer and translation and public health leaders worldwide are finding out ways to carry this out effectively. Ultimately, this should ensure greater investment in knowledge syntheses and transfer initiatives, that involve potential users of research to improve the quality of health for everyone. In this brief review/comment, an attempt will be made to help the readers understand the meaning of this new terminology and how it impacts Teratogen Information Services.
Health sciences libraries have considerable potential as resources for both formal continuing professional education, as well as the informal continuing education that results from the professional's efforts to solve problems in daily practice. While there is a growing interest in making the resources of health sciences libraries more accessible to practitioners on a routine, day-to-day basis, there also needs to be more awareness of how, when, where, and why professionals look for information in the context of practical problems. This paper reviews recent research that identifies the context in which physicians seek information and advice from external sources, the information sources that physicians access, and the factors that influence which particular sources are sought. The results indicate that physicians vary in their information needs, preferences, motivations, and strategies for seeking information. This diversity suggests that health sciences libraries, in their efforts to be more accessible, should consider "market research" to determine the needs, preferences, and use patterns of the library's targeted users. Libraries may also benefit from exploring alternative methods of improving access to their resources.
Dentists, as health professionals, need access to information. As in other health sciences, the increase in the rate and volume of published information has made it more difficult for them to keep up with new developments. Five hundred randomly selected dentists in Louisiana were surveyed to determine what information dentists seek and what sources they prefer. Responses indicated that dentists need information on new techniques in dentistry and that preferred sources are professional colleagues and personal journal collections. Libraries were found to be used only infrequently as sources for information. Implications for planning libraries for applications- and technique-oriented professions are discussed.
The American health care system is experiencing a period of unprecedented change. This paper identifies and discusses the major changes in patient care, research, control of the health care system, and medical education, and their implications for health sciences librarians. These changes have resulted in new demands for effective information delivery and a broader health sciences library clientele. There are both challenges and opportunities for health sciences librarians as they respond to information pressures of the current health care environment and anticipate future needs.
BACKGROUND: Rural physicians need access to quality medical information, but accessing information is difficult in rural settings. Digital health sciences libraries (DHSLs) offer the potential to make information more accessible to rural physicians. A telemedicine network was deployed to six rural hospitals in Iowa. Computers were installed allowing access to a DHSL and training sessions were held. The purpose of this study was to examine the barriers to use of a DHSL by rural physicians. METHODS: Approximately one year after deployment of the telemedicine network, physicians were surveyed using a modified critical incident technique. RESULTS: Seventy percent of the eligible physicians responded and 33% had used the DHSL. Primary barriers included insufficient training, being too time consuming to use, and distance of computers from physicians' practice sites. Non-DHSL users cited the difficulty of using the DHSL as their greatest barrier, while DHSL users cited the quality of the information resources. CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies a number of barriers that exist to rural physicians use of a DHSL. Potential solutions to these barriers are discussed. DHSLs will finally reach their potential when they can be delivered by easy to use handheld computers seamlessly integrated into the rural physician's workflow.
The combination of the burgeoning interest in health, health care reform and the advent of the Information Age, represents a challenge and an opportunity for public health. If public health's effectiveness and profile are to grow, practitioners and researchers will need reliable, timely information with which to make information-driven decisions, better ways to communicate, and improved tools to analyze and present new knowledge. "Public Health Informatics" (PHI) is the science of applying Information-Age technology to serve the specialized needs of public health. In this paper we define Public Health Informatics, outline specific benefits that may accrue from its widespread application, and discuss why and how an academic discipline of public health informatics should be developed. Finally, we make specific recommendations for actions that government and academia can take to assure that public health professionals have the systems, tools, and training to use PHI to advance the mission of public health.
A questionnaire was mailed to 148 publicly and privately supported academic health sciences libraries affiliated with Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC-accredited medical schools in the United States and Canada to determine level of access and services provided to the general public. For purposes of this study, "general public" was defined as nonaffiliated students or health care professionals, attorneys and other nonhealth-related professionals, patients from affiliated or other hospitals or clinics, and general consumers. One hundred five (71%) libraries responded. Results showed 98% of publicly supported libraries and 88% of privately supported libraries provided access to some or all of the general public. Publicly supported libraries saw greater numbers of public patrons, often provided more services, and were more likely to circulate materials from their collections than were privately supported libraries. A significant number of academic health sciences libraries housed a collection of consumer-oriented materials and many provided some level of document delivery service, usually for a fee. Most allowed the public to use some or all library computers. Results of this study indicated that academic health sciences libraries played a significant role in serving the information-seeking public and suggested a need to develop written policies or guidelines covering the services that will be provided to minimize the impact of this service on primary clientele.
The founders of the Association of Academic Health Sciences Libraries (AAHSL) envisioned the development of a professional organization that would provide a greater voice for academic health sciences libraries, facilitate cooperation and communication with the Association of American Medical Colleges, and create a forum for identifying problems and solutions that are common to academic health sciences libraries. This article focuses on the fulfillment of the "greater voice" vision by describing action and leadership by AAHSL and its members on issues that directly influenced the role of academic health sciences libraries. These include AAHSL's participation in the work that led to the publication of the landmark report, Academic Information in the Academic Health Sciences Center: Roles for the Library in Information Management; its contributions to the recommendations of the Physicians for the Twenty-first Century: The GPEP Report; and the joint publication with the Medical Library Association of Challenge to Action: Planning and Evaluation Guidelines for Academic Health Sciences Libraries.
Although there is an abundance of literature about clinical teaching in the health professions, a much smaller body of information focuses on the art and science of clinical teaching in midwifery and women's health. We reviewed preceptor handbooks, training manuals, and Web sites created by nursing and nurse-midwifery education programs, medical and pharmacy schools, and national associations of health professionals. Using the search terms "clinical teaching, clinical learning, preceptor, clerkship, residency training, and midwifery education", we searched the MEDLINE and CINAHL databases and health sciences libraries for relevant articles and books. The information and practical strategies about clinical teaching that we found are synthesized and presented in this article. It includes a discussion of challenges in clinical teaching; an overview of expectations and responsibilities of the education program, students, and preceptors; suggestions about orienting students to clinical sites; clinical teaching strategies and skills; suggestions for incorporating critical thinking and evidence-based care into clinical teaching; guidelines for giving constructive feedback and evaluation; characteristics of excellent clinical teachers; and suggestions about how education programs and professional associations can support and develop clinical sites and preceptors. The Appendix contains manuals, books, and Web sites devoted to clinical teaching.
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As part of the planning for a medical school to be situated in Queens County, N.Y., a questionnaire was sent to 50 randomly drawn U.S. medical schools to gather information on the behavioral science segment in their curriculums.Behavioral science courses comprised part of the curriculums of all 23 responding schools and were most often based in the departments of psychiatry and departments of community medicine. Physicians and behavioral scientists appeared to be equally involved in teaching them. Lecture-discussion, small group discussion, and case study were the teaching methods most often used singly. The most popular combination method was lecture-discussion with case study, followed by small group discussion with lecture-discussion. Behavioral scientists seemed to favor lecture-discussions and physicians, small group discussions, but the difference was not statistically significant.Most of the behavioral science courses were offered in the first and second years of medical school. The number of both the elective and required behavioral science courses peaked in the first year and then dropped off sharply in each successive year. These courses were also longest in the first year and became shorter in each successive year.Perceptions of the effectiveness of the behavioral science courses seemed to depend upon the respondent's primary professional orientation. Respondents who were behavioral scientists seemed to view the impact of the courses as negligible, whereas physicians had a more favorable view of their impact.