Document needs in a rural GRATEFUL MED outreach project

Area of Science:

• Medical Informatics
• Health Sciences Librarianship

Background:

• Rural hospitals face challenges in accessing up-to-date medical information.
• The GRATEFUL MED outreach project aimed to improve information access through end-user searching.

Purpose of the Study:

• Analyze document requests from rural hospitals to inform collection development and information services.
• Evaluate the impact of end-user searching and identify ongoing needs in underserved hospital settings.

Main Methods:

• Document requests (359) from eight rural Illinois hospitals were analyzed.
• Requests were categorized by user group, subject, inclusion on recommended lists (Brandon/Hill, Abridged Index Medicus), and publication date.
• The role of trained intermediaries in facilitating requests was examined.

Main Results:

• 86% of requests originated from non-physician/nurse health professionals.
• 85% of requests were channeled through two sites with active intermediaries.
• Strong demand for administrative and allied health information, alongside clinical data, was identified.
• Fewer than half of recommended titles were requested; most requested documents were published within the last five years.

Conclusions:

• End-user searching alone is insufficient for improving information access in small hospitals.
• Adequate local library collections and trained personnel are essential for effectively addressing health professionals' information requirements.