Med 6095 Special Topics in Health Technology Assessment
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Due to a major flood in the Health Sciences Library in December, we are left with one computer lab instead of two. As a result, booking lab time is a significant challenge this semester. I was unable to secure a booking and now Plan B is in effect for Med6095 and a few other courses. Plan B involves providing online tutorials and resources for self-paced and self-directed learning. In addition, any student requiring help with literature searching can contact me for a one-on-one session. The flood destroyed office space in the library as well and therefore, I do not have an office or telephone. Please contact me through email and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Lindsay Glynn.
“I already know how to search. What’s so different about this?”
The major assignment for this course requires that you collect relevant evidence on the effectiveness of a specific medical technology. Given the plethora of research articles available through a surprising number of different resources, the need to know how to do a detailed and focused literature search is essential.
Finding evidence in the literature requires a specific, yet standardized, search strategy that differs significantly from the average quick search that many are accustomed to performing. Not only are key search terms derived from major components of the topic; also essential to the focus of the search are the identification of the type of study that is likely to provide the best evidence and the measurable outcomes. A search for evidence-based medicine is logical and efficient; therefore, the results yielded tend to be highly relevant.
EBM Literature Searching Tutorials
It is highly recommended that you take the time to walk through the Introduction to Evidence Based Medicine self-paced tutorial prepared by medical librarians at Duke University. Pay particular attention to the section labeled “Acquire: Literature Search” as this will walk you through the literature searching steps for EBM. There is also a module in which you can test your knowledge: try it after you have taken the tutorial to determine what you learned.
After completing the tutorial, you should be familiar with:
- The answerable clinical question
- The 4 main question types
- Study types
- The fundamentals of an EBP search strategy (using PubMed as an example)
Now that you have done the online tutorial, you might like to have a paper-based version to which you can refer quickly. Doig and Simpson’s article provides a concise, illustrated view of the step-by-step process. Even if you prefer not to print it, it is worth the read to provide clarity of and validation to the process or searching for evidence.
Evidence Based Medicine Resources
PubMed (MEDLINE)
The premiere database for medical literature, MEDLINE is an excellent resource to search for evidence relating to medicine, pharmacy, nursing, health administration, and health technology. Aside from keyword or subject heading searching, a nice feature to find evidence is Clinical Queries: here, you enter the PICO search terms, select the type of question, and PubMed adds the rest such as study type, select synonymous terms, etc. Note: if you are off campus, you may be prompted to log in using your library ID and pin.
Cochrane Library
Well known as an essential evidence based medicine resource, searching the Cochrane Library is a must. Restrict your search to the Health Technology Assessment Database to be more specific. Note: if off-campus, you may be prompted to log in using your library ID and pin.
Health Services/Technology Assessment Texts (HSTAT)
From the National Library of Medicine, this site contains holdings from the AHCPR support guidelines, the AHCPR technology assessments and reviews, ATIS (HIV/AIDS technical information), NIH Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Research Studies, NIH Consensus Development Program, PHS Guide to Clinical Preventative Services (1989) and SAMHSA/CSAT Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP). The site is both searchable and browsable.
National Information Center on Health Services Research and Health Care Technology (NICHSR)
The wonderful folks at the National Library of Medicine also provide this excellent meta-site where you can find numerous links to a collection of international evidence-based HTA resources including data/statistics, guidelines, journals, programs, webcasts, etc.
ARHQ (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality)
And more specifically: Technology Assessment AHRQ supports research that helps people make more informed decisions and improves the quality of health care services. Systematic reviews and syntheses are available on a number of medical technologies; full text is available for most of these assessments.
CADTH (Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health
From the website: “Decisions about which medical devices and drugs to use are crucial to the quality and sustainability of health care in Canada… The Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH) provides decision-makers with the evidence, analysis, advice, and recommendations they require to make informed decisions in health care.”
WHO Collaborating Center for Knowledge Translation and Health Technology Assessment in Health Equity
While this site may not provide a wealth of information, the Projects tab will bring you to a nicely presented Equity-Oriented Toolkit for Health Technology Assessment.
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Health Sciences Library Memorial University of Newfoundland St. John's, NL Canada A1B 3V6 Phone: Contact Us Fax: 709-777-6866 |
January 16, 2012
Lindsay Glynn
