Collaborating to increase access to clinical and educational resources for surgery: a case study

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Surgical Education Technology
• Health Sciences Librarianship

Background:

• The need for accessible, up-to-date surgical information at the point of care is critical.
• Traditional methods of information retrieval can be time-consuming and inefficient for surgical residents.
• Integrating digital resources into clinical workflows presents unique challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development and implementation of an integrated digital information system for surgical residents.
• To explore the collaborative process between surgical, IT, and library departments.
• To enhance access to the electronic surgical library and electronic medical record (EMR) via tablet devices.

Main Methods:

• A collaborative project involving the Department of Surgery, Department of Information Technology, and an academic health sciences library.
• Development of a dedicated electronic surgical library.
• Deployment of tablet devices for surgery residents.
• Implementation of a tablet-friendly user interface for the institutional EMR.

Main Results:

• Successful creation of a bedside electronic surgical library.
• Distribution of tablet devices to surgery residents.
• Enhanced usability of the EMR through a new interface.
• Improved access to critical surgical information.

Conclusions:

• Interdepartmental collaboration can effectively bridge clinical needs with technological solutions.
• Tablet devices and optimized EMR interfaces can significantly improve access to information for surgical trainees.
• This integrated approach has the potential to enhance surgical education and patient care.