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PubMed1994

Planetree health information services: public access to the health information people want.

In July 1981, the Planetree Health Resource Center opened on the San Francisco campus of California Pacific Medical Center (Pacific Presbyterian Medical Center). Planetree was founded on the belief that access to information can empower people and help them face health and medical challenges. The Health Resource Center was created to provide medical library and health information resources to the general public. Over the last twelve years, Planetree has tried to develop a consumer health library collection and information service that is responsive to the needs and interests of a diverse public. In an effort to increase accessibility to the medical literature, a consumer health library classification scheme was created for the organization of library materials. The scheme combines the specificity and sophistication of the National Library of Medicine classification scheme with the simplicity of common lay terminology.

Complementary Therapies↗
PubMed2004

Partnership working in the production of clinical guidelines.

This article describes a working partnership between the Cairns Clinical Librarian Service, Health Care Libraries, University of Oxford and the Emergency Department (ED) at the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford. This collaboration resulted in the establishment of a guideline development group in June 2002. The aim of the group is to produce a set of easily accessible, user-orientated, evidence-based guidelines for the use of clinicians in the Emergency Department, within a realistic timescale. The Cairns Clinical Librarian Project was built on previous models of clinical librarianship and incorporated an evaluation of previous programmes. The objective was to provide information to clinicians at the time and point of need. Consultation with the ED from the outset determined the approach adopted by the Cairns team. Clinical guidelines have been shown to improve clinical practice. Pending the introduction of nationally available protocols, we have begun to establish a collection of evidence-based guidelines using web-based architecture in conjunction with the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust's IT department. A piece of diagnostic analysis was undertaken to ensure a coherent strategy was developed for the guideline project. An 'intermediate approach' was adopted, where existing valid guidelines were modified to fit local circumstances. We strove to be transparent at all times about all aspects of the guideline development process. Formative evaluation has shown how the application of evidence-based health care needs adequate resources and requires people with appropriate knowledge and skills. This article charts the progress of the project and highlights how the partnership between the clinical team and the Clinical Librarian has been deemed to be essential to the success of the project.

Cooperative Behavior↗
PubMed2006

Opportunity for change in the future roles for the health library and information professional: meeting the challenges in NHS Scotland.

BACKGROUND: NHS Education for Scotland (NES) is the Special Health Board responsible for supporting best practice in education, training and development for all staff groups within NHS Scotland. As part of its remit, the Knowledge Services Group within NES is responsible for the e-Library, a national electronic resource providing and supporting access to the evidence base. The Knowledge Services Group also supports the national development of library services to NHS Scotland. AIMS: This article aims to provide a reflective overview of some recent challenges within the health library and information field in Scotland, and the positive role opportunities these have afforded. METHODS: The information was gathered through extensive professional interaction with staff across the sector over the first year of establishing the new role of Librarian Staff Development Manager. FOCUS: New roles have emerged for health library and information professionals generally; for example, in response to new technology or new user groups. The development of the NHS Scotland e-Library provides examples of role development that emerges symbiotically from core skills applied to a new situation or applied in an innovative way. Role development among health library and information professionals operating at the local service level can be both reactive and proactive. Working together, the partnership between the national Knowledge Services Group and local library and knowledge services for NHS Scotland has resulted in the emergence of additional new roles, extending the role portfolio of the local professional (for example, the Librarian-Tutor role) and supported by other national infrastructures (for example, the competency framework initiative).

Access to Information↗
PubMed1988

The information age in concept and practice at the National Library of Medicine.

The evolution of today's information age is mirrored in the growth of the National Library of Medicine's bibliographic services: from the pioneering work of the Library in the last century to develop Index Medicus, to developing the innovative computerized MEDLARS system in the early 1960s, to the easily searchable on-line data bases now available to health professionals. The evolution has not come about without controversy, however, as tension developed between the public sector, where the information was viewed as a social benefit, and the private sector, where it was viewed as a source of profit. The Library has fostered research and development in biomedical communications in the laboratories of its Lister Hill Center and through grants to assist in establishing the field of medical informatics. The future of biomedical communications will be profoundly affected by work now being carried out by the Library: in fields such as biotechnology, through integrative methodologies such as the Unified Medical Language System now under development, and by a grant program to improve the infrastructure for information within academic health science centers.

Diffusion of Innovation↗
PubMed2003

"Ask A Librarian": the experiences of four hospital libraries.

The librarians at four hospital libraries describe the electronic reference service, "Ask A Librarian," offered at their institutions. The hospitals are vastly different in size and in number of library staff, and offer the "Ask A Librarian" service to different clientele. The article illustrates that both large hospitals with a large library staff and small hospitals with a solo librarian and some volunteers can offer this type of service.

Databases, Bibliographic↗
PubMed1980

Hospital library resources in Massachusetts: data collection and analysis.

Hospitals in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts were surveyed to establish some ranges and baseline statistics for hospital medical information resources. The data were evaluated in terms of theoretical compliance with the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals standards as well as the more specific proposed appendices to the Canadian Standards for Hospital Libraries. The study quantifies hospital library resources and services in a state with a substantial number of acute care facilities. Of the study universe, 67.6% were judged as meeting either the revised JCAH or the Canadian criteria. The central finding is that the 100- to 299-bed institutions reflect a significant number of deficiencies when evaluated against either quantitative or nonquantitative standards. Further areas of study are suggested.

Hospital Bed Capacity↗
PubMed1978

Books and other endangered species: an inquiry into the values of medical librarianship.

Major values of medical librarians, as exemplified in their periodical literature 1903-1977, are identified as "professionalism," "cooperation," "sense of community with health sciences practitioners," and "knowledge orientation." These values are examined in terms of interdisciplinary research into human values. Professionalism is studied in greater depth in relation to criteria on a scale of professionalism. Medical librarians have been most concerned with the criteria of organization, specialized education (with more emphasis on continuing education than on introductory medical library education), and service orientation. Indication of challenge to long-held values exists in the contradictions among certain related assumptions underlying our self-image, our current lack of standards, and changing societal views toward commitment to a single, life-long specialization. It is suggested that there is unexplored potential for support of our traditional values and the development of new ones by comparing them with the value systems of health scientists and educators of health sciences practitioners.

Books↗
PubMed1996

Public empowerment through accessible health information.

The Public Library Association (PLA) is developing plans for cooperative consumer health information services. Foremost for developing this program is the need for partnerships with health agencies and mechanisms to attract grant funding. The proposed project will expand the role of public librarians to address the health information queries they receive effectively. The project plans include the use of new technologies for delivery of health information, and the provision of tools, training, and resources.

Cooperative Behavior↗
PubMed1982

OCLC for the hospital library: the justification plan for hospital administration.

This paper delineates the necessary steps to provide hospital administrators with the information needed to evaluate an automated system, OCLC, for addition to the medical library. Based on experience at the Norton-Children's Hospitals, included are: (1) cost analyses of present technical processing systems and cost comparisons with OCLC; (2) delineation of start-up costs for installing OCLC; (3) budgetary requirements for 1981; (4) the impact of automation on library systems, personnel, and services; (5) potential as a shared service; and (6) preparation of the proposal for administrative review.

Budgets↗
PubMed2005

Value of hospital libraries: the Fuld Campus study.

OBJECTIVE: The paper demonstrates the value of the Health Sciences Library/Fuld Campus to the organization and shows how responses from patrons aligned themselves with the categories of the taxonomy of contributions of library and information services (LIS) to hospital and academic health centers devised by Abels et al. METHODS: Over a period of thirty-two months during 2001 to 2003, patrons' literature searches and interlibrary loans were followed up on by sending patrons letters, which included a question asking for feedback as to how the information was used. The comments from users were analyzed according to Abels et al.'s taxonomy of LIS contributions in hospital and academic health centers. RESULTS: Results of this study substantiated previous research showing that health sciences LIS contributes to patient health care. Feedback also demonstrated other areas where LIS contributes to the mission and goals of the organization and how these align themselves with Abels et al.'s taxonomy.

Classification↗
PubMed1985

The promise of fruit...and light.

The development of reference/information services in the health sciences library is traced, with emphasis on the events which brought about change. The distinction between information and knowledge is outlined and a philosophy which stresses the value of the librarian's knowledge is offered as the key to the future.

Computers↗
PubMed1996

Consumer health information partnerships: the health science library and multitype library system.

The University of Illinois Library of the Health Sciences at Rockford (LHS-Rockford) long has honored a commitment to serving the health information needs of the greater Rockford community. Utilization data collected over the past five years indicate that approximately 50% of reference transactions involve persons not affiliated with the university. In early 1994, LHS-Rockford submitted a proposal to the Northern Illinois Library System (NILS), a multitype system spanning twelve counties in northwestern Illinois, asking to serve as a resource library for improving medical and health information services provided by the 138 NILS member libraries. The NILS funded this pilot project as part of an effort to implement a new strategic plan, which encouraged member libraries to form networks to provide reference back-up service. LHS-Rockford acquired InfoTrac's Health Reference Center, a consumer health information database, and set up a dedicated workstation near the information and circulation desk. Referral guidelines were established and the project was promoted among NILS member libraries. Activities were documented in order to track project success in terms of referrals and outcomes. The demonstration project was very successful, and it proves public consumers seeking health information can benefit greatly from this type of cooperative arrangement.

CD-ROM↗
PubMed1991

Teaching end users the CD Plus MEDLINE menu mode in thirty minutes.

Guidance through the CD Plus menu mode is warranted and has proved worthwhile. The Stowe Library's Information Services Department offers instruction once per week; the session usually lasts thirty minutes but may run longer if the attendees are particularly astute or enthusiastic. Individuals or classes may also request instruction at times that are better suited to their schedules. Librarians who search CD Plus on a daily basis will undoubtedly become facile with the direct searching mode. New end users will probably enjoy more success by using the menu mode. The menu mode does not provide documentation; therefore, a modified text of this article including the illustrations might be considered an adequate print manual for the menus. However, many of the system capabilities cannot be used unless they are taught by an experienced operator. Such a basic but necessary introduction requires approximately one-half hour. The pace will be brisk, and time for extraneous experimentation is unlikely. A successful instruction session is a result of preparation rather than improvisation. If the specific interests of the clientele in attendance are known in advance, a reworking of the examples would be appropriate. Although no formal evaluation of this instruction technique has been made, most attendees express an appreciation and understanding of the system's capabilities by the end of the session. Tangible feedback comes from seeing an end user who had participated in instruction return to the workstation on an ongoing basis to search the database successfully.

CD-ROM↗
PubMed1976

Primary journal selection using citations from an indexing service journal: a method and example from nursing literature.

Although serial literature is extremely important to a library collection, it is also the source of many problems. Specialty journal selection is difficult, particularly for the librarian of a small or intermediate-size library that is not in a position to develop or maintain an exhaustive or inclusive collection in a particular field or discipline. Steadily increasing journal costs and recent economic trends necessitate establishment or reexamination of a periodical collection policy. In this investigation, the technique used analyzes citations assigned to medical subject headings (MeSH) and subheadings by indexers who prepare the MEDLARS data base. Citations have been retrieved by exploiting the on-line nature of the MEDLARS data base. A four-year time period is used to identify specialty journals in the area of nursing. Results given include a separate rank-order listing arranged by decreasing frequency of productivity for each MeSH term searched. A composite listing is given for the 16,355 unique citations retrieved. The approach illustrated and data presented may be useful in establishing library policy for questions of periodical subscription and setting of priorities for binding and microform purchases. The purpose of the approach described is to predict collection demand with efficiency and economy.

Book Selection↗
PubMed1994

Providing consumer health information through institutional collaboration.

In the past several years, The Claude Moore Health Sciences Library of the University of Virginia Health Sciences Center (HSC) has noted a growing demand for consumer health information. However, because the primary role of the library is to provide information services to health professionals at the HSC, questions have been raised as to the amount of time, energy, and money that should be expended to provide health care information to consumers. The library staff, because it can provide special expertise regarding the availability and utilization of consumer health materials, has felt the responsibility to participate in HSC initiatives that reach a broad audience. Library efforts in that regard include assisting with inventory and management of patient education materials, participating in a community health promotion task force, collaborating with hospital departments in planning a consumer health information center, establishing a consumer health information reference section in the library, and obtaining a grant to offer a networked health information system to local public and community college libraries. Consumers of health information benefit from the enhanced services that result from combining the expertise of health professionals and patient educators with the information management skills of library staff.

Consumer Advocacy↗
PubMed2000

Evidence of clinical efficacy of homeopathy. A meta-analysis of clinical trials. HMRAG. Homeopathic Medicines Research Advisory Group.

OBJECTIVE: To establish, using a systematic review and meta-analysis, whether there is any evidence from randomised controlled clinical trials of the efficacy of homeopathic treatment in patients with any disease. DATA SOURCES: Published and unpublished reports of controlled clinical trials available up to June 1998, identified by searching bibliographic databases (Medline, Embase, Biosis, PsychInfo, Cinahl, British Library Stock Alert Service, SIGLE, Amed), references lists of selected papers, hand searching homeopathic journals and conference abstracts, and contacting pharmaceutical companies. TRIALS SELECTION: Trials were selected using an unblinded process by two reviewers. The selection criteria were randomised, controlled trials in which the efficacy of homeopathic treatment was assessed relative to placebo in patients using clinical or surrogate endpoints. Prevention trials or those evaluating only biological effects were excluded. One hundred and eighteen randomised trials were identified and evaluated for inclusion. Sixteen trials, representing 17 comparisons and including a total of 2,617 evaluated patients, fulfilled the inclusion criteria. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted by two reviewers independently, using a summary form. Disagreements were resolved by a third person. DATA SYNTHESIS: The evidence was synthesised by combining the significance levels (P values) for the primary outcomes from the individual trials. The combined P value for the 17 comparisons was highly significant P = 0.000036. However, sensitivity analysis showed that the P value tended towards a non-significant value (P = 0.08) as trials were excluded in a stepwise manner based on their level of quality. CONCLUSIONS: There is some evidence that homeopathic treatments are more effective than placebo; however, the strength of this evidence is low because of the low methodological quality of the trials. Studies of high methodological quality were more likely to be negative than the lower quality studies. Further high quality studies are needed to confirm these results.

Homeopathy↗