Health information outreach: experiences from the University of Zambia Medical Library

Access to health information for health workers in Zambia is limited and inadequate, especially to those health workers that are not affiliated with institutions such as the University of Zambia. In order to meet their information needs, it is important to devise and implement appropriate health information access methods. One such method is an Outreach Program. This article is an audit and a review of the health information outreach programs that the University of Zambia Medical Library has implemented over many years.     

图书情报学院健康信息学教育发展与教学改革研究

健康服务体系发展需要健康信息的支持,而健康信息人才是当前我国健康服务发展的短板。图书情报学应顺应国家战略发展需要、社会需求、学科交叉融合发展需求以及信息环境的变化,培养社会需要的健康信息人才。本文采用网络调研和内容分析方法,对北美12所LIS学院的健康信息学的教育模式、师资背景、课程设置、学生就业等数据进行深入分析,发现北美LIS学院健康信息学教育比较受关注,一些院校已基本形成较为完善的教育体系。针对我国健康信息学/医学信息学教育现状和健康信息人才需求发展的宏观环境,从设立健康信息学专业或培养方向、有机整合多学科和机构资源、明确人才培养目标和倡导课程体系标准化、充分发挥图书馆学情报学优势等方面入手,提出我国综合性高校LIS学院开展健康信息学人才培养及教育改革的路径。表9。参考文献41。     

Clinical effectiveness and allied health professionals: an information needs assessment

OBJECTIVE: To determine the information needs and support required by AHPs whilst building services based on clinical effectiveness. METHODS: A qualitative approach using action research in co-operation with a Rehabilitation Department Clinical Effectiveness group, leading to interviews with eight therapists. The sampling strategy was purposive. RESULTS: Therapists have well-developed professional networks, but are unsure how to access traditional library areas. Library training can stop AHPs in asking for help or services, whilst the library is thought to be very different to their everyday work, but confidence in using the library service can be acquired by getting to know a librarian. A departmental-based service was thought to provide better access to, and understanding of, information through mentorship, whilst also providing up-to-date evidence so that clinicians can concentrate on their clinical work whilst being more clinically effective. CONCLUSIONS: When seeking information, AHPs are more likely to use professional networks than libraries. However, when working alongside an AHP, a librarian can upgrade information-seeking skills through mentorship, whilst named library contacts can make it easier to access the library for help.     

Analysis of one year's circulation at the Downstate Medical Center Library

A survey of the circulation of books and journals at the Downstate Medical Center Library was conducted, based on cancelled circulation cards accumulated during a one-year period. Analysis of the results shows the frequency of use of various materials by several groups of borrowers and brings out important differences between circulation of books and that of journals. One of the results was the compilation of a list of most frequently used journals. The findings are graphically represented by several tables and charts.     

University of Cincinnati Medical Center: integrating information

The University of Cincinnati Medical Center has combined five existing units into a new organization responsible for initiating an Integrated Academic Information Management System (IAIMS). This new organization, Medical Center Information and Communications, was reorganized into nine departments, which now provide a variety of information services. Ultimate goals for IAIMS include a patient-centered database, a decision-support system, and a knowledge network. The IAIMS prototype, currently under development for the University of Cincinnati Hospital's Internal Medicine Service, consists of components representative of the IAIMS model's ultimate goals. A major premise of this IAIMS effort is that it is patient-centered.     

Automating Veterans Administration libraries: II. Implementation at the Kansas City Medical Center Library

In 1985, the Kansas City Veterans Administration Medical Center began implementation of the Decentralized Hospital Computer Program (DHCP). An integrated library system, a subset of that program, was started by the medical library for acquisitions and an outline catalog. To test the system, staff of the Neurology Service were trained to use the outline catalog and electronic mail to request interlibrary loans and literature searches. In implementing the project with the Neurology Service, the library is paving the way for many types of electronic access and interaction with the library.     

Vocabulary Mapping of Subject-Headings of Medical and Health-Related Government Documents at the University of Massachusetts Medical Center Library

The University of Massachusetts Medical Center Library is embarking on a project that will identify, integrate and map subject-heading vocabulary of medical and health-related government documents. The vocabulary will be derived from National Library of Medicine, Library of Congress, Government Printing Office and local subject-headings, and including acronyms, initialisms, SU DOC #s and jargon.     

Computer information project for monographs at the Medical Research Library of Brooklyn

The article describes a resource library's computer-based project that provides cataloging and other bibliographic services and promotes greater use of the book collection. A few studies are cited to show the significance of monographic literature in medical libraries. The educational role of the Medical Research Library of Brooklyn is discussed, both with regard to the parent institution and to smaller medical libraries in the same geographic area. Types of aid given to smaller libraries are enumerated. Information is given on methods for providing machine-produced catalog cards, current awareness notes, and bibliographic lists. Actualities and potentialities of the computer project are discussed.     

Biotechnology awareness study, Part 2: Meeting the information needs of biotechnologists

The second part of the biotechnology awareness study focused on health sciences libraries and how well they are meeting the needs of biotechnologists working in the study's nine medical centers. A survey was conducted over a three-month period to assess the demand for biotechnology-related reference services at nine libraries and the sources the librarians used to answer the questions. Data on monographic and current serial holdings were also collected. At the end of the survey period, librarians were asked for their perceptions about biotechnology research at their institutions and in their geographic areas. Their responses were compared to the responses the scientists at the nine schools gave to the same or similar questions. Results showed few biotechnology-related reference questions were asked of the librarians. The recorded questions dealt with a range of biotechnology subjects. MEDLINE was used to answer 77% of the questions received during the survey period. More detailed notes in MeSH and a guide to online searching for biotechnology topics were suggested by the librarians as ways to improve reference service to this group of researchers. Journal collections were generally strong, with libraries owning from 50% to 87% of the titles on a core list of biotechnology journals compiled for this study. All libraries subscribed to the five titles most often cited by the scientists surveyed. Generally, librarians were unaware of the biotechnology-related research being done on their campuses or in their geographic areas.     

The information needs of health care professionals and consumers in developing countries

The health information needs of health care professionals and consumers in less-developed countries, although somewhat similar to those of their U.S. counterparts, have a number of unique differences. Health care professionals in developing countries are more diverse in their backgrounds, training, experience, and work settings. These differences, combined with cultural variables, a lack of resources and trained information professionals, contribute to the complexity of health information delivery. Consumers in developing countries, due to a lower literacy rate and a higher rate of commercial health information, face different problems when attempting to make health-related decisions.     

健康信息学的学科范畴与中国健康信息学的发展——兼述健康信息学学科建设与发展学术研讨会

信息学正在与健康科学产生更多的关联,逐渐发展成为一门新兴的交叉学科——健康信息学。2021年10月,“健康信息学学科建设与发展学术研讨会”在北京召开,与会专家学者对健康信息学的概念定义、内容框架、社会需求、与相关学科的关系、新冠疫情防控与健康信息学、健康信息学学科建设等主要议题展开讨论。本文在深入研究国内外健康信息学理论和实践的基础上,结合与会专家的讨论,阐述中国健康信息学在起步阶段需要厘清的基本理论问题:健康信息学是什么,由哪些内容构成,发展过程如何,中国的健康信息学要如何发展。研究发现:①与大健康时代的健康概念相对应,健康信息学是一个大的学科群,它囊括了将信息学应用于健康、生物、医学领域而产生的一系列新兴学科,可以称之为大健康信息学或者生物医学健康信息学（BMHI）;②大健康信息学与多个学科有关联,是典型的交叉学科,包括众多的子学科,这些子学科秉承信息学共有的理论概念、方法技巧、技术手段,它们互有区别但又相互关联;③健康信息学研究从传统的聚焦解决临床医学中的信息问题,拓展到关注公共卫生中的信息问题,再拓展到关注民众日常生活中的健康信息问题;④在大健康时代,在健康中国建设和发展的机遇期,应通过不断学习、创新和提高,加快建设中国特色的大健康信息学,推动大健康信息学发展成为教育部交叉学科类别中的一级学科。图2。表2。参考文献47。     

Health information professionals: delivering core services and value in extraordinary times

The 2020 virtual issue of the Health Information and Libraries Journal (HILJ) is published to link to the CILIP Health Libraries Group Conference which was to take place in Scotland 22–25th July. Whilst the conference was postponed in light of the coronavirus (COVID‐19) pandemic, its themes of (i) Working in Partnership; (ii) Resilience and Well‐being; (iii) Public and Patient involvement; (iv) Quality Impact and Metrics; and (v) Improvement and Innovation have nevertheless provided the basis on which to compile this virtual issue. Overarching these themes is a core value of the HIL profession, to provide relevant, timely and sustainable information services, and the articles selected from HILJ (2018 through to March 2020) contribute to the aim of meeting and going beyond these goals under the conference banner of ‘not your average day in the office’. The virtual issue mirrors the format of a regular issue of HILJ, a review article, four original articles and three from our regular features: ‘Dissertations into Practice’, ‘International Perspectives and Initiatives’ and ‘Teaching and Learning in Action’. The authors come from Canada, China, Croatia, Sweden and the UK. All articles included in this issue are available online.     

The information needs of occupational therapy students: a case study

This article summarises a case study on the information needs of Masters level Occupational Therapy 5 (OT) students at one English university. A mixed methods questionnaire was used to explore motivators for information‐seeking, preferred information resources and barriers inhibiting the satisfaction of information needs. Thirteen recommendations for practice were formulated, focusing on how information professionals can best facilitate OT students’ learning and evidence‐based research skills in preparation for clinical practice. The study was completed by Jane Morgan‐Daniel, who received a Distinction for her work from Aberystwyth University, where she graduated with an MSC in Information and Library Studies in December 2016. She has written this article together with her dissertation supervisor, Hugh Preston. A. M.     

Meeting the information needs of clinicians for the practice of evidence-based healthcare

This article reports on clinicians’ use of library resources and the competencies they require to access information necessary for the practice of evidence-based healthcare. It is based on the results of a study commissioned by North Thames Region to identify the training needs of clinicians for the adoption and practice of evidence-based healthcare. Participants in this qualitative research study included librarians, clinicians (doctors, nurses and PAMs) and managers from four Acute and Community Trusts in and around London. The research indicates that the majority of clinicians recognize the need to keep up-to-date with changes in their specialty and many visit their libraries on a frequent basis, however, few appear to be searching for information with which to inform their immediate clinical decisions. Our sample acknowledged their low usage of journals such as Bandolier, the Health Effectiveness Bulletin and Journal of Evidence-Based Medicine. Similarly, low use of electronic databases, such as Cochrane and Cinahl, were reported. Examination of skill and self-efficacy levels in accessing and using information databases revealed wide variations across professions, specialities and Trusts. Qualitative research methods were employed to elicit the key competencies required to access clinically relevant research evidence, and a framework for integrating these competencies is presented.     

The Royal College of Nursing's information needs survey of nurses and health professionals

Aims: To find out about the nursing community's needs in the following areas: information or knowledge to improve practice in the clinical area; information to support lifelong learning and formal study. Methods: A questionnaire was circulated in summer 2004 containing questions on types of information source used for particular types of problem or question; specific sources used; ease of access to various information sources including computers and the Internet, and local health library; and workplace culture and environment. Results: A total of 1715 usable questionnaires were completed and returned. Significant numbers of the nursing community have currently no or limited access to computers. Nursing staff in the independent sector had less access to computers and the Internet than those working for the National Health Service (NHS). Workplace culture was as important as access to IT equipment. Conclusions: As a result of the survey, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is working with the NHS and the independent health sector to improve access and provide complementary services for the whole nursing community.     

Meeting user needs in the modern museum: Profiles of the new museum information professional

This article presents results from 21 semi-structured interviews with museum information professionals who were asked about their experiences working with information resources, tools, and technologies. These interviews were analyzed to develop profiles of four types of information professionals working in museums. The article presents these profiles, focusing on the responsibilities of today's museum information professionals and their role in meeting user needs in the modern museum, thereby improving understanding of the evolving role of museum information professionals.