Undertaking an information‐needs analysis of the emergency‐care physician to inform the role of the clinical librarian: a Greek perspective

Abstract

Aim of study : The primary focus of this pilot study was to gain a better understanding of the information needs of emergency-care clinicians. The secondary focus was to compare the traditional current practice of information provision within other emergency departments in Greek hospitals, with the new model of clinical librarianship (CL). Rationale : Clinical staff in the emergency department deal with a variety of cases, they have no time to visit the library, but need information instantly in their place of work. Clinical decision making in the emergency department setting frequently requires the clinician to obtain additional sources of information and clinical librarians may facilitate this. Study design : The present study focused on two professional groups: medical librarians (group A) and clinicians (consultants, senior registrars, registrars, nurses (group B), working in the emergency departments of two Greek hospitals. The study was organized through a questionnaire survey and some in-depth interviews.Results : This study showed that, for 100% of the clinicians in daily practice, the main information needs arise while treating patients, and that information would help in making patient-care decisions. Clinicians made little use of hospital libraries because they are usually under tremendous time pressure. The main outcome of the study was the use of a clinical librarian as an information provider. Clinical librarians supply information to assist decisions, based on this model. This extends the librarian's role in evidence-based medicine, giving much stronger attention to the relevant evidence in clinical practice. Conclusions : Nowadays, health services are facing organizational change. The introduction of new technology, and rapid growth of medical knowledge creates a demand for new ways of providing information. Clinical librarian programmes may deliver patients specific information in a timely manner. The mission of the clinical librarian is to facilitate access to quality information which is necessary for improving health, and to act as an informationist in the emergency department.

The information‐seeking behaviour of doctors: a review of the evidence

“…Table 1 2–35 provides a comparison of the studies selected for this review. The actual date for data collection, the country where the research was undertaken, the research methodology utilized, the doctors’ professional role and the number of active participants in the research are detailed.…”

HPV vaccine information-seeking behaviors among US physicians: Government, media, or colleagues?

“…12 A larger than expected proportion of physicians obtained vaccine information from the internet. Many health care providers lack proficiency in internet navigation 13, 14 and the time needed to identify accurate sources of information 15 which poses a challenge to optimizing clinical outcomes. Increasingly the media has been identified as a less than credible source of health information.…”

“…14 Younger physicians more often obtained HPV vaccine information from the internet, while older physicians were more likely to get such information from medical conferences. Although the internet may not be an ideal source of health information gathering, 13–15 it is important to recognize and adjust for the changing dynamics of information-seeking behaviors particularly among younger physicians. Female physicians compared to males were more likely to seek vaccine information from ACIP, colleagues, and medical conferences.…”

In an emergency--call the clinical librarian!

“…However, in the emergency department, speedy access to evidence-based information is also often needed 10. The staff in the emergency department at the Leicester Royal Infirmary have had access to a clinical librarian since 2002.…”