MIDDLE ATLANTIC PERSPECTIVE
Newsletter of the
National Network of Libraries of Medicine

Middle Atlantic Region
New York New Jersey Pennsylvania Delaware

In This Issue...

From the NN/LM MAR Office
URAC: Seal of Quality on Health Web Sites
NLM in Your Pocket: Mobile Applications
Goodbye Printed MeSH Tools
Online Analyst Position Open
Recent Additions to BHSL
EFTS Advisory Committee Named
New DOCLINE Library
New EFTS Participants
14 New MEDLINEplus Tutorials
Virtual NLM Customer Service Representative
MEDLINE ® UI to be Discontinued
PubMed Updates
NLM Technical Bulletin
NTCC Classes 2004

Note: This is a newsletter. The links and information are up-to-date when published and are NOT updated after the published date.

If you would like to propose topics you feel should be covered in the Middle Atlantic Perspective, or, if you would like to write an article, please contact Joanne Jahr at jjahr@nyam.org. Your comments, suggestions and criticisms are welcome.

From the NN/LM MAR Office

After a summer which really didn’t seem to slow down, we now enter the busy fall season, full of meetings, new programs, ongoing programs, and more meetings. We look forward to seeing many Network members at the chapter meetings, but in the meantime, just a foretaste of what is coming down the road.

We are all very eagerly waiting for the introduction of DOCLINE 2.0, which as of this writing is expected to be launched in mid-November. RML staff recently had an opportunity to see a demonstration, and it was very impressive. DOCLINE 2.0 is currently getting its final testing by the Library Operations staff at the National Library of Medicine (NLM), which will be followed by a week of testing for the RMLs and vendors. Then if there have been no unexpected, rude shocks, there will be a two-week period when all DOCLINE users will be asked to test it. That is presently on track for October 27 through November 7.

NLM’s development team will not be surprised if testing by the regular users turns up some things they didn’t see, and raises some questions, because certainly field use is different from in-house testing by any development team. Of course, that’s why we do the testing. If all goes smoothly, and any little questions can be quickly dealt with, new DOCLINE 2.0 will be fully implemented before Thanksgiving.

We would like to call your attention to some new funding opportunities recently posted on the regional web page (www.nnlm.gov/mar) We particularly want to encourage Network members who have not previously applied for funding awards to consider applying for some of the smaller programs which have a simplified application process. We also expect to be able to add more in coming weeks, so take a look! In addition, under “Other Funding Opportunities” there are links to tools that will help you in the process. And of course you are always welcome to call us for information and assistance.

Meanwhile, the RML staff looks forward to seeing many of you very soon.

URAC: Seal of Quality on Health Web Sites

Michele Spatz, Director of the Planetree Health Resource Center http://www.mcmc.net/phrc/ in The Dalles, Oregon, is the Medical Library Association’s (MLA) representative to the URAC Health Web Site Review Committee. Michele, who also serves as Chair of MLA’s CAPHIS Web Site committee, http://caphis.mlanet.org/ was appointed last July.

Founded in 1990, URAC http://www.urac.org/ is a non-profit organization dedicated to the accreditation of health and managed care organizations. Currently, it offers over 16 accreditation programs, crossing a broad range of health care services. In 2001, URAC launched its health web site accreditation program http://webapps.urac.org/websiteaccreditation/default.htm

URAC’s accreditation process, which holds sites to 53 rigorous standards of consumer protection, often serves as the framework around which healthcare Web Sites and service providers structure their internal operations to ensure quality outcomes for consumers. URAC’s Health Web Site accreditation provides a third-party verification mechanism for compliance, ensuring a site will maintain its quality services and consumer privacy and protection infrastructure over time.

In addition to several managed health plan Web Sites, some well-known URAC accredited sites include MedlinePlus http://medlineplus.gov/, WebMD http://www.webmd.org/, and KidsHealth http://kidshealth.org/.

I am the first librarian to serve on the committee and to join leaders from across the health care industry, such as WebMD, Kaiser Permanente, the Health Insurance Association of America and the European Commission Information Society Directorate General. The group meets monthly via conference call to review and discuss accreditation applications. In the year since I have been on the committee, approximately 25 web sites were accredited.

The URAC Health Web Site committee met in Santa Fe, New Mexico in February 2003, to critique and redraft the current accreditation standards. I co-chaired a session with Lois Ambash, of the Internet Healthcare Coalition http://www.ihealthcoalition.org/, on strengthening URAC’s outreach to educate end-users about the importance of a health web site’s quality criteria and attention to privacy issues.

Currently, URAC is partnering with Consumers’ Union Consumer WebWatch http://www.consumerwebwatch.org/ and, through a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation http://www.rwjf.org/index.jsp\ and additional support from the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, http://odphp.osophs.dhhs.gov/, is hosting two search engine summits. The bi-coastal summits are designed to explore how users approach and perform Internet searches for health information and how users might be educated to look for quality e-health information.

I recently attended the San Francisco summit, which pulled together industry stakeholders. The summit attendees explored the possibility of enhancing search engine mechanics to direct users to quality health web sites and discussed ways of influencing user behavior to improve the quality of their health information retrieval. During the meeting, the role of health sciences librarians as critical to improved health information retrieval for consumers was expressed by many stakeholders. I am confident the agenda developed from the summits will include an important role for health sciences librarians.

Reprinted with permission from Dragonfly, newsletter of the Pacific Northwest Region

NLM in Your Pocket: Mobile Applications for Librarians and Health Care Professionals

Introduction
Personal Digital Assistants, also known as PDAs, are handheld devices that offer more than just personal management tools such as calendars and address books. In the field of health care there are many applications that support the needs of mobile health care professionals and librarians. In this article we will describe some mobile applications currently under development or released by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), and discuss ways in which we can help you start using these new tools.

Applications
Today, there are several NLM applications that run on handheld devices, in this article we will look at:

o AIDSinfo
o PubMed on Tap
o PubMed Anywhere
o WISER

Let’s take a closer look at each of these free NLM resources.

AIDSinfo
AIDSinfo is a U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) project providing information on HIV/AIDS clinical trials and treatment. AIDSinfo is a central resource for current information on federally and privately funded clinical trials for AIDS patients and others infected with HIV. Sponsors for this project include the National Library of Medicine.

DHHS issues guidance documents (known as "guidelines") for the medical management of HIV infection and other issues surrounding HIV infection. These documents are available for quick reference on a Palm PDA or a Pocket PC as an on-the-go reference tool. The documents are not formatted specifically for the PDA so users will have to scroll side-to-side to view the full document. You must install the Adobe Acrobat Reader for either the Palm OS or the Pocket PC before viewing these documents. To view the list of available guidelines and to get instructions for downloading these guidelines to your handheld device visit this web site http://aidsinfo.nih.gov/mobile/ .

PubMed on Tap
PubMed on Tap, a research project of the Communications Engineering Branch of the National Library of Medicine, is targeted at mobile health care professionals. The goal of this project is to discover and implement design principles that will facilitate practitioners’ access to medical information at the point of service. Currently the application supports retrieval of MEDLINE® citations from a PDA through a wireless connection to the Internet. PubMed on Tap search options include several PubMed search limits, and other features, such as Related Articles link, plus a feature unique to PubMed on Tap – My Journals. This feature allows users to restrict a search to only those journals to which they subscribe.

PubMed on Tap does not use a browser; its user interface is based on the popular ePocrates application. The selection of features to be implemented in the next version will be strongly influenced by user comments, thus NLM is actively seeking feedback from volunteer evaluators. The current version of the PubMed on Tap client runs only on Palm OS PDAs. If you or your colleagues have Palm PDAs with access to the Internet through a wireless LAN or WAN, please consider evaluating PubMed on Tap for the NLM.

For more information on this application please visit this Web site http://archive.nlm.nih.gov/proj/pmot/pmot.php, where you may register to use PubMed on Tap and download the application. This page also provides a link to the electronic forum where PubMed on Tap users may share their comments and suggestions with the development team.

PubMed Anywhere
PubMed Anywhere allows users to search PubMed/MEDLINE on a wireless PDA or tablet. Users can also use this application to read the latest journal abstracts and to search for clinical trials at the point of care. PubMed Anywhere is platform independent; it works with Palm OS, PocketPC and Linux PDAs. There are no files to install and it is compatible with any Web browser including: AvantGo, Blazer, EudoraWeb, WebPro, Internet Explorer, etc. This product has been tested with 802.11b, Bluetooth, infrared, wireless modem and desktop synch.

There is a standalone version that can be used with PDAs that do not have wireless capabilities. The standalone version has a limited set of features. For more information on how to install and work with the standalone version of the application, please contact me, the Technology Coordinator at doshea@nyam.org.

To go for a test drive, point your handheld’s browser to http://certif.nlm.nih.gov:8080/nlm. Use the site’s Feedback link to send comments to the developers.

WISER
WISER (Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders) is a mobile application designed to assist first responders at the scene of chemical, biological, or nuclear incidents. WISER guides users in identifying initial response actions. These actions include identifying protective equipment, providing medical treatment for victims, and implementing containment and cleanup approaches. The information supplied by WISER is provided by the Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB), a comprehensive repository of substance information.

The current version of WISER runs on a Palm PDA and is a prototype application developed by SIS (Specialized Information Services) of the National Library of Medicine. To learn more about WISER, its goals and features, visit this site http://www.nextcentury.com/WISER *. The WISER application is designed to work in a standalone or connected mode. In a typical scenario, the portable device is preloaded with the most critical information. At the scene of an incident, a wireless network sends new information between handhelds and routes requests for more information. When a wireless connection is not available, the handheld device still has full functionality with access to the critical local data loaded on the device. WISER is available for download for people willing to be beta testers; all NLM asks is that you provide feedback to SIS on how to improve the application.

* WISER was developed by the Next Century Corporation under contract to NLM.

Coming Soon
Lastly, there are potentially dozens of applications for handheld devices based on NLM resources. As we learn of new ones that are under development or ready for release we will keep you informed. One that we are aware of that is currently under development is Health Hotlines – based on the popular online database of health-related organizations operating toll-free telephone services.

Overview of NLM Applications for PDAs

Training
Two classes on PDAs have been developed by the NN/LM and are provided on an ongoing basis:

o “Personal Digital Assistants in the Medical Library”
This is a two-hour lecture designed for medical librarians that serves as an introduction to handheld technology. In this class the following topics are addressed – PDA hardware, software applications for handheld devices, and mobile healthcare applications including NLM PDA products. Resources for identifying and reviewing current health science applications and potential library-specific applications for PDAs are also discussed. This class is approved for 2 hours of MLA Continuing Education credits.

o “Personal Digital Assistants – Your Mobile Future”

This is a four-hour course. It offers similar content to the two-hour course but also includes ample time for hands-on practice using a PDA. This class is approved for 4 hours of MLA Continuing Education credits.

Exhibiting
Presentations about PDAs and health-related applications for handheld devices are regularly provided by NLM and NN/LM at conferences. PubMed on Tap will be demonstrated at the AAMC (American Association of Medical Colleges) conference, November 7-12 in Washington, D.C.

Adoption of PDAs and Wireless Technology in Our Region
We would like to gauge the level of interest in this technology within our region. To that end, we would like to know how many of our readers are currently using PDAs? How many of those PDAs are wireless? How many of you have explored or deployed wireless network connectivity? What are your success stories and what problems have you encountered? Please contact me at doshea@nyam.org or (212) 822-7358, to discuss your experience with PDAs and wireless technology, or to request training or assistance in this area. Your responses will be used to guide us in planning future outreach and training activities on this topic.

GOODBYE PRINTED MESH TOOLS…YOU HAVE SERVED US WELL

Many librarians were around when the printed green three-volume set of the Online Searchers MeSH “tools” (the Annotated Alphabetic MeSH, the MeSH Tree Structures, and the Permuted MeSH) were introduced to the searching community in 1969. Beginning in 2004 NLM plans to cease publication of the MeSH “tools” and to expand the content in the “Black and White MeSH.”

NLM’s indexers and catalogers no longer use the print publications. The MeSH Browser has greater coverage, greater flexibility, and the ability to be extremely current. Take a look at the MeSH Section’s web page http://www.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/meshhome.html and browse through the various sections. An extremely important section is the “Online Introductory Material.” This is valuable information about using the MeSH vocabulary.

The July-August 2003 issue of the “NLM Technical Bulletin” contains a complete article discussing this change.

ONLINE ANALYST POSITION OPEN

The NN/LM Middle Atlantic Region is seeking a librarian experienced in adult education and with the products of the National Library of Medicine (NLM), to provide training in the use of NLM databases at sites throughout the United States. The incumbent will be a trainer within the National Training Center and Clearinghouse (NTCC), a unit of the NN/LM Middle Atlantic Region. The NTCC provides training programs in online health literature searching for librarians and health professionals at sites throughout the United States.

Responsibilities:
* Teaching NLM web-based training classes across the United States.
* Writing class evaluation reports and making suggestions for improvements.
* Contacting host sites and scheduling future classes.
* Developing and maintaining an expert level of familiarity with NLM databases and interfaces.
* Writing training related articles for the RML Newsletter.
* Responding to inquiries from prospective class participants related to PubMed and other classes.

Qualifications:
* ALA-accredited MLS.
* Prior adult education or training experience highly desirable.
* Demonstrable skills in searching NLM web-based databases advantageous.
* Knowledge of word processing, Excel spreadsheet, computer and Internet skills.
* Experience using HTML helpful.
* Evidence of excellent interpersonal skills.

Please note: Extensive travel required.

Salary: $40,000 minimum commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits.

Qualified candidates should provide a letter of interest and resume by email or postal service to:

Mary Mylenki
Associate Director
NN/LM Middle Atlantic Region
New York Academy of Medicine
1216 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10029
E-mail mmylenki@nyam.org

The New York Academy of Medicine is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

Recent Additions TO BHSL

NYUJBH, Ellenville Regional Hospital—BHSL 2
NYUCJK, NDRI—BHSL 2
NYUNEW, Sound Shore Medical Center—BHSL 2
NYUIPS, NYC Department of Health & Mental Hygiene—BHSL 3
NYUCIX, North Shore University Hospital, Plainview—BHLS 3
PAULWP, Lankenau Hospital—BHSL 3
PAUPAN, Northeastern Hospital School of Nursing—BHSL 3
NYUCML, St Vincent’s Catholic Medical Center— BHSL 3
NYUAHF, Institute for Cancer Prevention—
BHSL 4
NYUBMM New York Hospital Medical Center of Queens—BHSL 5
NYUQHC, Queens Hospital Center—BHSL 5
NYULMC, Lincoln Medical & Mental Health Center—BHSL 6
NJUSBM, St. Barnabas Medical Center—BHSL 7
NYULIJ, Long Island Jewish Medical Center— BHSL 8

If you add any of these libraries to your DOCLINE routing tables, please adhere to BHSL guidelines:

If the library is a member of the same consortium you are a member of, you may place it in cells 1-3, though BHSL courtesy requests that a high level BHSL library be placed in cell 3. If the library is *not* a member of your consortium, follow the numbers, e.g., BHSL *2 in cell 2, BHSL *5 in cell 5, BHSL *6 in cell 6, etc.

Currently there are 427 BHSL libraries in Regions 1 and 8 (NN/LM MAR and NN/LM NER), of which 301 are in Region 1. The only way BHSL will work is if people adhere as closely to the guidelines as possible.

If you have any questions about routing table construction, please see the Guidelines at http://nnlm.gov/mar/docline/guidelines.html

EFTS ADVISORY COMMITTEE NAMED

An EFTS Advisory Committee was named in June and has already held two teleconference meetings. The purpose of this committee is to promote EFTS usage, evaluate EFTS operations, and provide recommendations on future improvements and enhancements. The committee includes representatives from each of the eight NN/LM regions, who bring to the table a variety of experiences and perspectives from their various types of libraries, including hospitals, medical schools, and special libraries.

We are pleased to announce that the EFTS Advisory Committee members from the NN/LM Middle Atlantic Region are Ammon Ripple, University of Pittsburgh, Health Sciences Library System; Barbara S. Reich, Hackensack University Medical Center; and Joanne Jahr, NN/LM Middle Atlantic Region Network Programs Coordinator. A listing of the complete Advisory Committee can be found at http://efts.uchc.edu/advisorycommittee.html

WELCOME NEW DOCLINE LIBRARY

We are delighted to welcome the Peter J. Cayan Library of SUNY Institute of Technology at Utica/Rome (NYUJBY) to DOCLINE. Please adhere to their request that they be placed in cell 4 or higher.

WELCOME NEW EFTS PARTICIPANTS

We would like to congratulate the following on having the good sense to join:

Elmhurst Hospital Center (NYUCHF)
St. Luke’s Roosevelt Hospital Center / St. Luke’s Division (NYUSLB)
Sunnyview Rehabilitation Hospital (NYUNUS)
Washington Hospital School of Nursing (PAUWAW)

Three down, 167 libraries to go……:-)

14 NEW MEDLINEPLUS HEALTH TUTORIALS

These tutorials are interactive health education resources from the Patient Education Institute located at: http://www.patient-education.com/ Using animated graphics, each tutorial explains a procedure or condition in easy-to-read language. You can also listen to the tutorial.

Diseases and Conditions:
Allergies to House Dust Mites
Colon Cancer
Depression
Diabetes—Meal Planning
Hearing Loss
Ovarian Cancer
Smallpox
Umbilical Hernia

Tests and Diagnostic Procedures:
Bone Densitometry
Colposcopy
Mammogram

Surgery and Treatment Procedures:
Craniotomy for Aneurysms

Prevention and Wellness:
Coumadin–Introduction
Preventing Strokes

These tutorials join the over 150 other slideshows with sound and pictures listed at
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/tutorials.html
You might wish to bookmark this page to keep up to date as tutorials are added.

NOTE: These tutorials require a special Flash plug-in, version 4 or above. If you do not have Flash, you will be prompted to obtain a free download of the software before you start the tutorial.

Virtual Representative Provides 24/7 Access to NLM Information

The National Library of Medicine has launched Cosmo, a virtual customer service representative, developed by the NLM Reference and Customer Services Section using self-service interactive management software produced by NativeMinds of San Francisco, CA.

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Cosmo can be found at http://wwwns.nlm.nih.gov or at the Contact NLM Web site (see Figure 1, below). His job is to answer basic questions about the Library and its products and services.

Cosmo is familiar with the more than 200 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) and nearly 100 Fact Sheets on the NLM Web site. He can answer questions about Library hours and parking; he can give directions to the Library; and he can list available databases.

Although the Ask Cosmo Web site has the appearance of a “live chat” page, there is no live interaction taking place. Cosmo uses NeuroScript® to construct topics that are answered by detailed pattern lists that match, as closely as possible, the content of the questions asked of him.

NLM Reference Staff continue to develop Cosmo’s knowledge base. Staff constantly review his conversation logs, so that, when necessary, they can enhance or de-bug his response repertoire. By monitoring his performance, NLM Reference Staff enable Cosmo to become ever smarter with each new user question.

For more information see:

Virtual Representative Provides 24/7 Access to NLM Information. NLM Tech Bull. 2003 Jul-Aug; (333):e2. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/ja03/ja03_cosmo.html

A Wise Old Owl Becomes NLM’s Latest Customer Service Feature. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/news/cosmoowl.html

MEDLINE® Unique Identifier (UI in PubMed®) To Be Discontinued

NLM has recognized that there is the potential for confusion in having two identifying numbers on the same citation. Therefore, with the December 2003 MEDLINE update with 2004 MeSH vocabulary, the PMID (PubMed Identifier) will be the only unique number used in PubMed and on records distributed to licensees. In September 2003, users will notice a switch in positions of the UI (Unique Identifier) and the PMID. The PMID will display first.

PubMed UPDATES

Store an E-mail Address for PubMed® in the Cubby Change
You are able to store a default e-mail address for PubMed’s Send to E-mail feature.

For more information see: Store an E-mail Address for PubMed® in the Cubby. NLM Tech Bull. 2003 Jul-Aug;(333):e3. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/ja03/ja03_email.html.

Pharmacologic Action Headings in PubMed
NLM is modifying the way PubMed searches for Pharmacologic Action MeSH headings. NLM is also introducing a new search tag, [PA], to search for substances known to have a particular pharmacologic action. These changes are expected to be completed later this summer.

NLM TECHNICAL BULLETIN 2003

The following articles from the current Technical Bulletin are available on the Web at:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/pubs/techbull/tb.html

2003 July - August; 333

Virtual Representative Provides 24/7 Access to
NLM Information - e2
Store an E-mail Address for PubMed® in the
Cubby – e3
DOCLINE® Version 1.6 Directs Users to Full Text Articles Available in PubMed Central™ - e4
PubMed® Available for Use on Handheld, Wireless Devices - e5
Pharmacologic Action Headings: PubMed® - e6
MLA 2003 - e7a-b-c
NLM Online Users’ Meeting 2003: Remarks - 7a
NLM Online Users’ Meeting 2003: Questions and Answers - 7b
MEDLINEplus and DOCLINE PowerPoint Presentations - 7c

Technical Notes: - e1
SNOMED Clinical Terms® To Be Made Available in UMLS®
New Version of NLM Gateway Adds OLDMEDLINE Document Ordering
DOCLINE 1.6 Released
NLM Classification Updated
NLM Launches Historical Anatomies on the Web
The KIR Gene Cluster Added to NCBI Bookshelf
New City Scene Added to Tox Town Web Site
July 2003 PubMed, NLM Gateway, and ClinicalTrials.gov Training Manuals Now Available
Household Products Database Launched Planned Changes to MeSH® Publications Suggestions for Authors’ Keywords MEDLINE® Unique Identifier (UI in PubMed®) To Be Discontinued

ANNOUNCING THE NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER & CLEARINGHOUSE’S (NTCC) SCHEDULE OF CLASSES FOR 2004

The schedule for the training classes offered by the NTCC, National Library of Medicine (NLM) and National Center Biotechnology Information (NCBI) for the year 2004 is available at http://nnlm.gov/mar/online/schedule.html. Please note that there are some new classes being offered and new sites. A more detailed article will appear in the November-December newsletter.

NN/LM, Middle Atlantic Region
The New York Academy of Medicine
1216 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10029

Phone: 212-822-7396 or 800-338-RMLS; Fax: 212-534-7042
Email: user name (first initial last name) followed by @nyam.org; URL: http://nnlm.gov/mar

NN/LM STAFF

Director - Maxine L. Rockoff, Ph.D.
Associate Director - Mary Mylenki
Consumer Health Information Coordinator - Rhonda Allard
Education Programs Coordinator - Joan Seidman
Network Programs Coordinator - Joanne Jahr
Outreach Programs Coordinator - Peggy Falls
Technology Coordinator - Denise O'Shea
Administrative Assistant - Dorothy Weyeneth

NATIONAL TRAINING CENTER AND CLEARINGHOUSE STAFF

Assistant Director - Maureen Czujak
Online Analyst - Vacant
Online Analyst - Mary Van Antwerp
Assistant for Training Services - Charles Rapisarda

Middle Atlantic Perspective is supported under NLM contract N01-LM-1-3521and is published bi-monthly.

Middle Atlantic Perspective Index | NN/LM

NN/LM- Middle Atlantic Region New York Academy of Medicine 1216 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10029 Site maintained by MAR STAFF Revised: July 15, 2003 URL: http://www.nnlm.gov/mar/perspec/2003/0005.html