Accessibility of medical information by medical officers attached to divisional hospitals in rural Sri Lanka

Abstract

Medical Officers (MOs) need to update their knowledge with diagnosis of diseases, current treatment modalities, guidelines on management etc. in order to provide a better service to the intended communities. The present study attempts to identify the information needs, perceived barriers and challenges of MOs attached to "Divisional Hospital Type-C" (DH Type-C) (rural) hospitals in Sri Lanka.This research was a descriptive study. A Self Administered Questionnaire was used as the data collection tool. The study population consists of MOs in DH Type-C Hospitals in Sri Lanka. Sample size was calculated using the Lwanga"s and Lemeshow"s formula. Accordingly, there were 400 MOs attached to the 192 DH Type-C. Study shows that information about diagnosis, drug, treatment and patient data were identified as highly important by rural MOs. Data suggested that a higher proportion of aged MOs needed medical information than did young MOs. Also, it can be seen that the main driving purposes of MOs" information needs were to be up to date; answering patients" and their families" questions, and to answer colleagues" questions and confirm opinion. Internet, medical blogs, medical devices and personal contacts with colleagues were most highly used as sources of information. Further, most MOs suggested that if the medical authority could develop a proper medical system to help MOs to continue with health education, that will be a fruitful activity for the country.

Importance of Including the Role of Clinical Medical Librarian in Library and Information Science Curriculum Development: A Review

“…Clinical librarians are underemployed in hospitals due to a lack of institutional roles (Beschnett & Bulger, 2013;Butson & Pauly, 2013;Cooper & Crum, 2013) Inadequate direction and management authority (Phillips & Bonsteel, 2010;Aldrich & Schulte, 2014;Bayrer et al, 2014;McDonald et al, 2014;Perrier et al, 2014) Financial and budget issues (Aldrich & Schulte, 2014;Bayrer et al, 2014;McDonald et al, 2014;Perrier et al, 2014) Lack of sustainability and success of clinical library programs (Aldrich & Schulte, 2014;Bayrer et al, 2014;MacDonald et al, 2014;Perrier et al, 2014) 04 Technological Scarcity of computer hardware and software (Aldrich & Schulte, 2014;Bayrer et al, 2014;McDonald et al, 2014;Perrier et al, 2014) The dearth of evidence-based databasesand access to evidence-based databases (MLA, 2005;Beschnett & Bulger, 2013;Butson & Pauly, 2013;Cooper & Crum, 2013;Cruse & Protzko, 2014;Aldrich & Schulte, 2014;Bayrer et al, 159 No. Barriers/challenges for CMLs involvement Examples 2014; McDonald et al, 2014;Perrier et al, 2014;Murphy & Boden, 2015;Dilhani et al, 2020;Bass et al, 2020;Hackstadt, 2020;Hinrichs et al, 2020;McLaughlin, 2020;Tahmasebi et al, 2020) Slow Internet connectivity…”

“…Research There are only a few studies on this topic (lack of identified issues and requirements, limited proposed solutions, and lack of evaluation methods for clinical library services). (MLA, 2005;Beschnett & Bulger, 2013;Butson & Pauly, 2013;Cooper & Crum, 2013;Cruse & Protzko, 2014;Aldrich & Schulte, 2014;Bayrer et al, 2014;McDonald et al, 2014;Perrier et al, 2014;King & Lapidus, 2015;Murphy & Boden, 2015;Mohaghegh et al, 2019;Dilhani et al, 2020;Bass et al, 2020;Hackstadt, 2020;Hinrichs et al, 2020;McLaughlin, 2020;Tahmasebi et al, 2020) By highlighting the need for CMLs role in the country, Importantly, in healthcare service delivery, now it is the EBM gaining popularity in the practice of Medical Professionals where evidence is integrated with clinical practice. In this context, health/medical information professionals are much recognized.…”

“…The need to maintain collaborative activities that go beyond clinical care, such as administration, education, and counseling, is broadly relevant to the profession. Study and systematic analysis librarians also assist local personnel and doctors with advanced study and programs as liaisons to research teams, going beyond the position of an expert searcher (Dudden & Protzko, 2011;Dilhani et al, 2020). In terms of their technical missions and trained skill sets in the management and dissemination of health information expertise, health sciences librarians and health informaticians have a "symbiotic" partnership (Aken, 2010).…”

“…Furthermore, LIS educationalists have failed to develop in them an adequate understanding of the required training for Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) and updating CMLs activities through learning the LIS series (Detlefsen, 2012;Greyson et al, 2013;Lasserre, 2012;Dilhani et al, 2020). It has resulted in the issue of inadequate guidance and counselling for the students of the LIS who are pursuing a career as CMLs and then moving on to continuous professional development based on the general knowledge of librarianship which disconnects them from the specific skills requirements for it (Cooper & Crum, 2013).…”