A Case Study: The Evolution of a "Facilitator Model" Liaison Program in an Academic Medical Library

QUESTION: What type of liaison program would best utilize both librarians and other library staff to effectively promote library services and resources to campus departments? SETTING: The case is an academic medical center library serving a large, diverse campus. METHODS: The library implemented a "facilitator model" program to provide personalized service to targeted clients that allowed for maximum staff participation with limited subject familiarity. To determine success, details of liaison-contact interactions and results of liaison and department surveys were reviewed. RESULTS: Liaisons successfully recorded 595 interactions during the program's first 10 months of existence. A significant majority of departmental contact persons (82.5%) indicated they were aware of the liaison program, and 75% indicated they preferred email communication. CONCLUSION: The "facilitator model" provides a well-defined structure for assigning liaisons to departments or groups; however, training is essential to ensure that liaisons are able to communicate effectively with their clients.Publisher's version/PD

Developing an intervention to optimise the outcome of cardiac surgery in people with diabetes: the OCTOPuS pilot study

Background: cardiothoracic surgical outcomes are poorer in people with diabetes compared with those without diabetes. There are two important uncertainties in the management of people with diabetes undergoing major surgery: (1) how to improve diabetes management in the weeks leading up to an elective procedure and (2) whether that improved management leads to improved postoperative outcomes. The aim of this study was to develop and pilot a specialist diabetes team-led intervention to improve surgical outcomes in people with diabetes.Design: open pilot feasibility studySetting: diabetes and cardiothoracic surgery departments, University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation TrustParticipants: seventeen people with diabetes undergoing cardiothoracic surgeryIntervention: following two rapid literature reviews, a prototype intervention was developed based on a previously used nurse-led outpatient intervention and tested.Primary outcome: feasibility and acceptability of delivering the interventionSecondary outcomes: biomedical data were collected at baseline and prior to surgery. We assessed how the intervention was used. In depth qualitative interviews with participants and healthcare professionals were used to explore perceptions and experiences of the intervention and how it might be improved.Results: thirteen of the 17 people recruited completed the study and underwent cardiothoracic surgery. All components of the OCTOPuS intervention were used, but not all parts were used for all participants. Minor changes were made to the intervention as a result of feedback from the participants and healthcare professionals. Median (IQR) HbA1c was 10 mmol/mol (3, 13) lower prior to surgery than at baseline.Conclusion: this study has shown that it is possible to develop a clinical pathway to improve diabetes management prior to admission. The clinical and cost-effectiveness of this intervention will now be tested in a multicentre randomised controlled trial in cardiothoracic centres across the UK