SHR Medical Library

Clinical Practice Guidelines and Reliability

2012-10-09T09:46:00.000-06:00

Dr. Hall on Science Based Medicine has a post about CPGs that discusses how they are created, problems with the existing process, and standards to improve the process.

The American Academy of Family Physicians journal American Family Physician (AFP) has a feature called Journal Club thatI’ve mentioned before. Three physicians examine a published article, critique it, discuss whether to believe it or not, and put it into perspective. In the September 15 issue the journal club analyzed an article that critiqued the process for developing clinical practice guidelines. It discussed how two reputable organizations, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) looked at the same evidence on lipid screening in children and came to completely different conclusions and recommendations.

DynaMed Trial and Demonstrations

2012-09-27T16:25:00.003-06:00

Everyone in the Saskatoon Health Region has access to the complete DynaMed evidence based clinical reference tool for the month of October.

DynaMed covers over 3,200 clinical topics, and is updated daily with evidence that has been evaluated for its relevance and validity. Currently, physicians have access to a limited version through the Canadian Medical Association, and nurses can access DynaMed through NurseONE.

Easy to search and navigate, DynaMed articles are organized into headings and bullet points so that you can quickly find exactly what you are looking for.

All DynaMed recommendations include citations as well as links to the research. They also indicate how reliable the evidence supporting each recommendation is to help you to decide if and how the recommendation should impact your clinical decisions.

DynaMed is accessible via the web and as an app that is compatible with most mobile devices; it can also be integrated with electronic health records. They also have a number of helpful current awareness features, including alerts for new content on a topic.

Try it out and let us know what you think!

SHR employees can access the trial from the Medical Library's InfoNet site.

Demonstration Sessions:
There will be three half-hour demonstrations run by a DynaMed representative who will show all of its features and will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Ocotober 10, 2012

8:00 to 8:30 in SCH 1911
11:30 to 12:00 in SCH 1911
3:30 to 4:00 in SPH 0G30

Sessions will also be accessible online; If you would be interested in participating online, please contact the library to sign up!

Communicating with Patients on Health Care Evidence

2012-09-25T15:52:00.000-06:00

A discussion paper from the Institute of Medicine. Excerpt from the first page:

A continuously learning health system can deliver truly patient-centered care only when patient preferences—informed by medical evidence and provider expertise—are elicited, integrated, and honored. Shared decision making is the process of integrating patients’ goals and concerns with medical evidence to achieve high-quality medical decisions. A 2011 Cochrane systematic review of 86 clinical trials found that patients’ use of evidence-based decision aids led to a) improved knowledge of options; b) more accurate expectations of possible benefits and harms; c) choices more consistent with informed values; and d) greater articipation in decision making. Providing patients with clearly-presented evidence has been shown to impact choices, resulting in better understanding of treatment options and screening recommendations, higher satisfaction, and choices resulting in lower costs. Simply stated, engaging patients in their own medical decisions leads to better health outcomes.

Cochrane Standard Author Training Course

2012-09-04T09:39:00.001-06:00

The Saskatoon Health Region, University of Saskatchewan, and Canadian Cochrane Centre are organizing a Cochrane Standard Author Training Course for November 1-3, 2012 at the University of Saskatchewan Murray Library. This three-day workshop covers the basic skills of conducting a Cochrane Review. Topics include protocols, setting your question, literature searching, study selection, assessing bias, data and analysis, formulating conclusions and a hands-on session with the Review Manager software. Please see the event poster for further details.

Twitter for Healthcare Professionals

2012-07-18T12:03:00.000-06:00

Twitter is a social networking site based on "microblogging" (sharing short text-based posts with no more than 140 characters). Twitter has been around since 2006 and currently has over 500 million active users, including an active community of healthcare professionals. Discussion is encouraged through the use of "hashtags," which allow users to identify key topics within posts.

The BC Patient Safety and Quality Council produced an 8-page introductory guide Twitter for Healthcare Professionals. The guide includes information on how twitter works, the benefits of tweeting, and how to set-up an account and get started.

Ryan Madanick's recent blog post How to get started on Twitter: A primer for doctors on KevinMD.com also shares tips on becoming active on twitter.

To get started, take a look at the selection of twitter accounts and hashtags in healthcare below. Please feel free to share some of your favourites! You can also look for popular twitter accounts at wefollow.com

Saskatchewan: @SaskatoonHealth, @childrenhospSK, @SaskatoonCC, @LeanSaskHealth, @inmotion_SHR, @hqcsask, @Alliedhealthctr, @SMA_docs, @SaskDoctors, @SMSS_SK, @kishorevis, @InMyWrightMind, @drsusanshaw, @Christensen741, @ryanmeili, @PhillipFourie, @BonnieBrossart.

Canada: @HealthCanada, @CBCHealth, @CMA_Docs, @canadanurses, @healthcouncilca, @CMAJ_News, @Patient_Safety, @WCHospital, @CAHSPR, @IWKFoundation, @SunnybrookHSC, @CACHC_ACCSC, @PatientsAssocCa, @chsrf, @EvidenceNetwork, @NightShiftMD, @picardonhealth, @doctorfullerton, @HealthyDebate, @bornk, @juliaoftoronto, @hcsmca.

International: @WHO, @NIHforHealth, @DHgovuk, @MayoClinic, @HarvardHealth, @HarvardHSPH, @TheIHI, @headspace_aus, @JAMA_current, @bmj_latest, @helenbevan, @kevinmd, @rilescat, @ahier, @ePatientDave, @drval, @PhilBaumann, @drwalker_rph, @sarahfraser, @suleikajaouad, @ShannonBrownlee, @AHCJ_Pia, @bobfinn, @janedreaper, @RNconsult.

Hashtags: #healthcare, #cdnhealth, #chcchat, #hcsm, #hcsmca.

Attributes of a Health Literate Organization

2012-01-26T08:15:00.000-06:00

Find a discussion paper from the Health Literacy Roundtable at the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies here that identifies ten attributes of a health literate organization.

New Lexicomp interface

2011-11-18T14:46:00.000-06:00

Lexicomp has released its new interface and is offering training sessions to those interested in learning more about using the new interface before the old interface is retired. You can sign up for sessions at the following times:

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 @ 10:00 AM EST

Tuesday, November 29, 2011 @ 10:00 AM EST

Thursday, December 1, 2011 @ 4:00 PM EST

Tuesday, December 6, 2011 @ 10:00 AM EST

Thursday, December 8, 2011 @ 4:00 PM EST

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 @ 10:00 AM EST

Thursday, December 15, 2011 @ 4:00 PM EST

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 @ 10:00 AM EST

Thursday, December 22, 2011 @ 4:00 PM EST

Tuesday, December 27, 2011 @ 10:00 AM EST

Thursday, December 29, 2011 @ 4:00 PM EST

Or contact the library at library at saskatoonhealthregion dot ca about arranging alternatives.

You can download a quick reference to the changes here

Discussion Paper: Patient-Clinician Communication: Basic Principles and Expectations

2011-11-01T10:09:00.000-06:00

In June the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies released a discussion paper outlining key principles of patient centred care impacted by communication between health care providers and patients.

Canadian Patient Safety Week

2011-10-26T13:52:00.000-06:00

October 31 to November 4, 2011 is Canadian Patient Safety Week; at the Canadian Patient Safety Institute's website you can register, find tools and resources, answers to FAQs, find out what's happening across the country, and read the stories of patients and families. CPSW is an annual campaign to inspire improvement in patient safety and promote good communication in healthcare. This year there is a Virtual Forum, free of charge, with speakers and participants from all over Canada. You can read the program, register and find out more here

New Guidelines from the Mental Health Commission of Canada

2011-10-13T09:30:00.001-06:00

The Mental Health Commission of Canada has published Guidelines for Comprehensive Mental Health Services for Older Adults in Canada. You can find the Executive Summary, PDF version and an interactive version of the guidelines here

ETA: The Canadian Women's Health Network has published a critique of the Guidelines here

App for that?

2011-10-11T09:26:00.000-06:00

Medical Librarian Michelle Kraft discusses the pros and cons of the Medical Apps section of the App Store.

Communicating Risks and Benefits: An Evidence-Based User's Guide

2011-08-17T16:03:00.000-06:00

The FDA has published, for free as a pdf, a resource addressing evidence around risk communication, which is "the term of art used for situations when people need good information to make sound choices... commitment to accuracy and avoidance of spin". Chapter topics include Quantitative and Qualitative information, Health Literacy, Affect and Emotion, Readability, Shared Decision Making, and Practitioner and Agency perspectives. To access the full text click here

Community View Collaboration (CVC)

2011-06-17T10:04:00.007-06:00

In collaboration with the City of Saskatoon, Saskatoon Public School Division, Saskatoon Greater Catholic Schools, and other Saskatoon Regional Intersectoral Committee agencies, Public Health Services of the Saskatoon Health Region have developed a regional comprehensive community information system, the CommunityView Collaboration (CVC).

The main features of the system are:

- The assembly of data from multiple sources, and;
- A system supported by appropriate information technologies and tools for end-user analysis including the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS).

CommunityView allows for inter-sectoral and inter-jurisdictional data sharing and access among human services organisations. According to the CVC site, its primary objective of this sharing is to "ensure consistent, timely, and efficient delivery of a variety of sources of data along with sophisticated user tools to combine, analyse and visualise data selected from across the breadth of data sets."

Visit the CommunityView Collaboration website at: http://www.communityview.ca/

Lexicomp Training Sessions: June 21-22

2011-06-10T14:38:00.004-06:00

Our library hours will be changing: May 30th

2011-05-16T13:06:00.014-06:00

Effective Monday May 30th, the SHR Medical Libraries' hours of operation will be changing to:

7:30am - 4pm inclusive at SCH and SPH locations.

After-hours access to libraries can be obtained via proxy card. Email the SHR Medical Libraries staff for further details at: library@saskatoonhealthregion.ca

New resource: Lexicomp

2011-05-16T12:50:00.009-06:00

The SHR Medical Libraries are proud to announce the acquisition of Lexicomp an Internet-based, hospital-wide solution providing quick access to drug information, lab and diagnostic procedures, diseases and conditions, patient education and more!

All SHR staff and physicians can access Lexicomp on-site via our internal library website at: http://infonet.sktnhr.ca/medicallibrary. Check it out under "Quick Links," "Databases: I-Z" and "What's New!"

For off-site access, SHR staff and physicians can visit our external library site at: http://library.saskatoonhealthregion.ca/. Existing SHR users can login with their Athens ID at: http://auth.athensams.net/my/ or new SHR users can register for an Athens ID at: https://register.athensams.net/shr.

For library assistance or to arrange a customized training session contact the SHR Medical Library staff at: library@saskatoonhealthregion.ca

Trial available for Lexicomp Online

2011-02-10T09:30:00.005-06:00

Lexicomp Online is an Internet-based, hospital-wide solution providing quick access to drug information, lab and diagnostic procedures, diseases and conditions, patient education and more!

All SHR physicians and staff can check out the trial version now at: http://online.lexi.com/

Or feel free to try it on your smartphones and PDAs at:
http://www.lexi.com/individuals/free-trial/?clicksource=5916&page=smartphone

Please note: this trial will be effective until March 31, 2011.

Google Body Browser

2011-02-04T11:04:00.029-06:00

Now you can explore the human body just like you can explore the world in Google Earth, with Google Body Browser.

This detailed three dimensional model of the human body allows you to peel back anatomical layers, zoom, click to identify anatomy, and search for muscles, organs, bones and more.

Body Browser uses WebGL, a plug-in-free programming interface, to power its 3D graphics. WebGL is a relatively new standard but it will work with Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox 4 Beta.

Type any muscle, bone, or organ into the search box at the top of the page, and Body Browser will instantly zoom into the appropriate part to show you where it is. Body Browser adjusts its URL as you move along, so if you ever want to save a particular view or share it with someone else, all you have to do is copy the current Web address and you're good to go.

You can try out Google Body Browser right now at bodybrowser.googlelabs.com.

Season's Greetings from the SHR Medical Library staff

2010-12-23T10:18:00.007-06:00

The SHR Medical Library staff wishes you a joyful holiday season and a happy new year!

Please note that the SHR Medical Libraries will be closed on the following dates:

Friday December 24, 2010

Saturday December 25, 2010

Sunday December 26, 2010

Monday December 27, 2010

Friday December 31, 2010

Saturday January 1, 2011

Sunday January 2, 2011

The SHR Medical Libraries will resume normal hours of operation:

SCH: 8am-5pm, Monday-Friday
SPH: 8am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday

For any library inquiries or assistance, please email library@saskatoonhealthregion.ca

Remembrance Day: Thursday November 11th

2010-11-10T14:15:00.004-06:00

Please note that the SHR Medical Libraries will be closed on:

Thursday November 11, 2010 for Remembrance Day.

The SHR Medical Libraries will resume services on:

Friday November 12, 2010

For library inquiries or assistance, email library@saskatoonhealthregion.ca

Celebrating Libraries from October 18th to 21st!

2010-10-08T10:07:00.009-06:00

Did you know that October is Canadian Library Month and Saskatchewan Library Week?

Feel free to check out the SHR Medical Library displays from October 18th to 21st at the following locations:

Saskatoon City Hospital, Atrium
Royal University Hospital, Cafeteria
St. Paul's Hospital, Cafeteria

Join us in celebrating libraries this month!

Happy Thanksgiving!

2010-10-08T09:37:00.000-06:00

The SHR Medical Libraries will be closed on: Thanksgiving Day- Monday October 11th and will re-open on: Tuesday October 12th.

For library inquiries or assistance, email library@saskatoonhealthregion.ca

The SHR Medical Library staff wishes you and yours a happy thanksgiving!

Labour Day: Monday September 6th

2010-09-02T14:38:00.003-06:00

Please note that the SHR Medical Libraries will be closed on:

Monday September 6th, 2010

The SHR Medical Libraries will resume services on:

Tuesday September 7th, 2010

For library inquiries or assistance, please email library@saskatoonhealthregion.ca

SHR Medical Library's Fall Training Schedule

2010-08-31T15:28:00.004-06:00

Are you looking to improve your research skills? Why not sign-up for a free library training session? The Saskatoon Health Region Medical Library provides free library training sessions for all SHR staff and physicians. Registration is now available on the SHR InfoNet website at: http://infonet.sktnhr.ca/trainingsystem

Library training sessions from September to November 2010 include:

Alternative Medicine* New!

Provides an overview of using the following alternative medicine databases: Allied and Complementary Medicine (AMED), Natural Medicines and Natural Standard.

Mondays- Sept.27, Oct.25, Nov.22 from 14:30-16:00 @ SCH Medical Library-Training Room

CINAHL

CINAHL is the main nursing and allied health professionals database. Learn about effective search strategies and how to navigate within this database.

Tuesdays- Sept.28, Oct.26, Nov.23 from 14:30-16:00 @ SCH Medical Library-Training Room

Drug Information* New!

Provides an overview of using the following drug information databases: e-CPS, Micromedex 2.0, and the RxFiles.

Wednesdays- Sept.29, Oct.27, Nov.24 from 14:30-16:00 @ SCH Medical Library-Training Room

MEDLINE

MEDLINE is the premier source for medical information. Learn about effective search strategies and how to navigate within this database.

Thursdays- Sept.30, Oct.28, Nov.25 from 14:30-16:00 @ SCH Medical Library-Training Room

To register, visit the SHR InfoNet website at: http://infonet.sktnhr.ca/trainingsystem

For questions, e-mail: library@saskatoonhealthregion.ca

STAT!Ref goes mobile!

2010-08-19T13:20:00.010-06:00

*Attention all SHR staff and physicians*

STAT!Ref, the online library of electronic resources is now available on your mobile devices!

To access this on-site simply visit: http://online.statref.com/mobile?grpalias=HKN on your PDA.

If you have any questions or need assistance, contact us at: library@saskatoonhealthregion.ca