Exploiting research information: comments about the different databases in health care (DIMDI, OVID CD-ROM)

The rapid growth of medical knowledge creates a demand for new ways of providing information. Health professionals are dealing with a variety of cases, and as they have no time to visit the library, they need filtered information instantly. Medical knowledge databases and data sets are increasingly available in electronic form, particularly on the World Wide Web. The premise of this medium is that it offers a "world of knowledge at your fingertips". The reality, however, is somewhat different, as information systems are not well integrated into clinical practice, they prove difficult to find specific information in, and contain content of varying quality. The continued evaluation of the medium in the future, should be beneficial as evidence-based resources available, and these resources are integrated into electronic medical record systems. The DIMDI and OVID CD-ROM databases are presented as vehicles of research in Bio-Medical Sciences.