Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Library (Website review)

A review of the free Maternal and Child Health (MCH) Library website, part of the National Center for Education in Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH) at Georgetown University

Parents Learn to Find Quality Health Information: Point-of-Care Reference Services in a Pediatric Clinic

Purpose:To continue the Pediatric Family Resource Library project started in January 2002 with the goal of providing health information to families at the point of care. The current project, funded through a National Network of Libraries of Medicine New England Region subcontract, will provide formal and informal classes to teach parents to find and use quality health information on the Internet. Setting:Parents and families who use the Children\u27s Medical Center will have the opportunity to attend a basic Internet class and then a class to locate quality health information. The classes will be held over a one-year period in the library\u27s new computer instruction facilities. Methodology:Two classes per quarter will be scheduled--one on Internet Basics and one on finding and evaluating health information on the Internet. Child care and free parking will be provided. The project will also provide customized classes for parent groups and community agencies that serve children. Multiple classes are scheduled for the pediatric clinic staff to find quality health information. Description:A multiple-pronged approach will be used to publicize the classes and services provided by the Pediatric Library. Classes will be didactic and hands on--taught by experienced librarians. Results:The addition of classes will increase awareness and use of the Children\u27s Medical Center Pediatric Library and offer support and networking opportunities for the parents. This project started on October 1, 2002, and results from the classes are anticipated for MLA \u2703. Discussion:Parents are making health care decisions about their children every day and need to be empowered and confident with their skills to find quality health information. Many of the children who are cared for at the Children\u27s Medical Center have lifelong and complicated health problems. Many of these parents have become knowledgeable about how to access the Internet but may lack the critical skills necessary to evaluate the quality of the health information they find. This project will attempt to meet this need. Evaluation: At the end of each class session, the parents will complete an evaluation form

Literature Search Strategy Week: Judy Nordberg and Nancy Harger on Citation Management

Blog post to AEA365, a blog sponsored by the American Evaluation Association (AEA) dedicated to highlighting Hot Tips, Cool Tricks, Rad Resources, and Lessons Learned for evaluators. The American Evaluation Association is an international professional association of evaluators devoted to the application and exploration of program evaluation, personnel evaluation, technology, and many other forms of evaluation. Evaluation involves assessing the strengths and weaknesses of programs, policies, personnel, products, and organizations to improve their effectiveness

e-Mental Health in Central Massachusetts

e-Mental Health in Central Massachusetts (EMH) is a web-based resource designed to improve access to evidence-based mental health information and local resources for mental health professionals and consumers. The Lamar Soutter Library, University of Massachusetts Medical School (UMMS), in collaboration with the UMMS Department of Psychiatry and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Mental Health, developed EMH to meet the needs of practitioners, patients and caregivers. The project provides an integrative web-based information resource that includes searchable databases of (1) local mental health care services and (2) quality-filtered information about mental health conditions and diseases. Centralized access to professional resources, information literacy training, professional reference services and document delivery to a traditionally underserved population are also provided. After training, participants in the program use the resource regularly and demonstrate heightened awareness of reliable mental health information available to them. The collaborative spirit also continues and will surely benefit future endeavors

The Utilization Of An Emergency Medicine Specific Library Website In The Clinical Setting

Introduction: The need for efficient access to academic resources in the Emergency Department is crucial to the Emergency physician. Many academic medical libraries have a large volume of information that makes it difficult to find answers in a time-sensitive clinical setting. We designed an Emergency Medicine library guide, tested its efficiency and surveyed users about their preference of an EM library website compared to the general library website.Methods: We created an EM library guide using the Libguide software by Springshare. We then created two tests of similar clinical questions simulating cases in the Emergency Department where researching an answer would likely be necessary. These questions were validated by three EM attendings. Forty-six EM residents from the University of Massachusetts Medical School were asked to participate in the study. They were divided into two groups, each answering a set of questions using any resources they chose. The EM library guide was then introduced, and residents were asked to answer the other set of questions to compare accuracy and speed. A survey was then sent to all residents and attendings to gather feedback of the new resource.Result: A total of 23 residents completed both tests of clinical questions, one test taken prior to the introduction of the EM library guide, and one test taken after. There was no statistical significance in the number of questions answered correctly before and after introduction of the EM library guide (4.3/7 compared to 3.6/7, P= 0.0875). The time taken to answer the questions was shorter after the introduction of the EM library guide (16.9 minutes compared to 13.9 minutes, P=0.0224). A survey given to residents and attendings showed 83% felt the website made it easier to find answers to clinical questions, and 89% preferred the EM website compared to the general library website. 88% of clinicians who responded to the survey have continued to use the EM-specific website since its inception.Conclusion: Emergency physicians prefer utilizing an Emergency Medicine specific library website, compared to an academic medical library website, to answer clinical questions. Although accuracy was not improved using the EM-specific library site, the time taken to answer the clinical questions was significantly improved, thus showing the efficiency of an EM-specific library website. Presented at the CORD (Council of Emergency Medicine Residency Directors) Academic Assembly 2011, March 3-5 2011, San Diego, California

Uncovering the evidence: Systematic review of interventions to reduce oral health disparities between adults with Intellectual Disability and the general population

Oral health is a public health concern for people with intellectual or developmental disabilities (I/DD). Research consistently shows that the population with I/DD experiences poorer oral hygiene, higher prevalence and severity of periodontal disease, and higher incidence of untreated caries when compared to the general population. Poor oral health can cause chronic pain, affect the ability to eat and communicate, and adversely affect physical health and quality of life. Intervention strategies include enhanced prevention, increased routine care, expanded insurance coverage, and training for dentists and hygienists. Research is needed to identify the most effective interventions. A standard systematic literature review for evidence-based practices is not adequate for identifying and evaluating the evidence in areas such as health policy and individual health behaviors. This presentation describes the structured processes used in uncovering evidence where there is limited published literature that includes 1) the I/DD population and 2) traditional scientific reviews of interventions addressing their oral health. By adapting a transdisciplinary conceptual model, which could be applied to a multitude of disciplines, we identify the best available evidence as collected through a conventional systematic review, allowing for additional emphasis on the personal, social and environmental factors that affect the I/DD population. The process includes search strategies to include peer reviewed and gray literature, along with other associated programs, policies, and practices, resulting in a unique evidence base from varied sources. Additionally, we frame and refine a formal plan to review the outcomes and establish a level of evidence for the identified interventions

Point-of-Care Reference Service in a Pediatric Clinic

This poster chronicles the development and utilization of a Pediatric Family Resource Library developed through collaboration between an academic medical library, a hospital library and the department of pediatrics. The Library is an attractive room in the busy waiting area of the UMass Memorial Children’s Medical Center, an outpatient pediatric primary care and multi-specialty service. Books, pamphlets and audio-visual materials are available for check out; librarians and parents who staff the Library also provide reference services. The point of care availability of resources and reference services has positively impacted clinicians’ practices and families’ ability to care for their children. OBJECTIVES: On completion of this session, the participant should be able to: Understand the development process for a point of care patient information service. Recognize the value of collaboration between clinicians and professional medical librarians in enhancing patient education. Appreciate the role of parents of the clinic population as part of the Library staff

Improving Cultural Approaches to Pediatric Palliative Care in Central Massachusetts

Objectives: To determine the impact of a web tool developed to improve health care providers\u27 ability and comfort in caring for a diverse patient population in the hospital setting. Methods: The pediatric palliative care team including a pediatric oncologist and a nurse practitioner in association with a clinical medical librarian and a hospital-based interpreter, collaborated to create a resource using SpringShare software to create a library guide. The purpose is to provide cultural and palliative care information resources, books, and journal articles to assist health care workers at UMass Memorial Children\u27s Medical Center in caring for children from the diverse cultural backgrounds living in the region. In order to introduce and evaluate the usage of the library guide, we plan to survey Children\u27s Medical Center staff including nurses, residents, attending physicians, and child life staff at baseline and after visiting the library guide. As of this date, the usage of the guide has had over 400 hits per month or 1,200 hits in the last 3 months (libraryguides.umassmed.edu/diversity_guide). Results: We will be conducting a survey of all children\u27s medical center staff, nurses, and physicians to evaluate the usefulness and impact of this resource. Conclusions: The results of the survey will be complete in 2013