Mac/mla 2001 Eyes on nlm october 19, 2001

MAC/MLA 2001 Eyes on NLM

• October 19, 2001

• Ocean City, Maryland

MEDLINEplus

• Three years of growth

• Creation and maintenance

• Future plans

MEDLINEplus

• Debuted on October 22, 1998

• 22 health topics

• Today—comprehensive, user-driven health resource

• 500 health topics + drug, encyclopedia, news and interactive patient education tutorials
• Over 5 million hits per month

January: Health News

February: Interactive Tutorials

October: Announcement Lists

How is it created and maintained?

• Staffing

• Systems technology

• Procedures

• Selection guidelines

MEDLINEplus System

• Database of records (Oracle)

• Web-based input system (Cold Fusion)

• Authorities and rules

• Review and approval process

• Remote access

• HTML generated nightly for Web

Creating new topics

• People want information on very specific topics (their topic)

• Look at number of requests in search log

• Look at length of pages during topic review

• Look at characteristics of pages (e.g., number of specific conditions

Site selection and record creation

Selection Guidelines

• Linked from “About MEDLINEplus”

• Emphasis on government health organizations

• NIH collaboration

• Must be authoritative, accurate and well maintained

• NLM contacts organizations about

• Technical issues (frames, registration)
• Medical advisory boards
• Creation and “updated” dates

Maintaining Quality

• Check daily/weekly for new material

• Review topics every 6 months

• Check daily for broken links

New features--release process

• Library side

• Identifies need (feedback and usability testing)
• Develops user requirement

• Programming side

• Develops specification
• Programs test system

• Both sides

• Develop test plans
• Test, fix problems, release

Future Plans

• Enhance drug information with American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists database

• Spanish-language version of site

• Site for seniors

• Additional content – interactive tutorials

• Data sharing – state and local information