The National Library of Medicine has formally launched MedlinePlus Connect. This free service allows health organizations and health information technology (HIT) providers to link patient portals and electronic health record (EHR) systems to MedlinePlus.gov, a trusted source of authoritative, up-to-date health information for patients, families and health care providers. MedlinePlus brings together information from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), other federal agencies, and reputable health information providers. MedlinePlus covers a wide range of health conditions and wellness issues, and includes key resources to inform patients about their health.

To learn more about MedlinePlus Connect please read the news release and visit http://medlineplus.gov/connect.

photo by K. Constant

We received the following report from Kathryn Constant, Librarian at Birthingway College of Midwifery, who received a Technology Improvement Award from NN/LM PNR in the spring of 2010. You can be like Kathryn! Proposals for the next round of Technology Improvement Award funding are due on August 12. (more…)

binary by zebtron on flickr

The Health Data Initiative Forum, known informally as the Health Datapalooza, is a showcase for innovative technology projects that use data in new ways to support public health, wellness and/or patient care. This year’s event, which took place on June 9 at the National Institutes of Health, was co-sponsored by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the Institute of Medicine. Here are just a few of the more than 45 projects featured at this year’s Forum.

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New from NLM: PubMed Mobile

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A series of organized twitter discussions on the topic of health literacy is taking place. Health Literacy Missouri, an organization which advocates for health literacy issues at the local and national level, is hosting the next online discussion, Thursday, March 3 from 12:30 to 2:00 p.m. Pacific Time.

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Guest post submitted by Network member Meg Brunner, MLIS, Alcohol and Drug Abuse Institute Library, University of Washington; Chair, Substance Abuse Librarians and Information Specialists (SALIS). If you’re interested in writing a guest post, please contact us at nnlm@uw.edu.

Reading through my RSS feeds yesterday morning, I came across the latest article from Social Media Examiner, a free online magazine that explores new and better ways to use social media tools to increase your visibility and interactivity online.  Though this site is primarily geared toward businesses, I often find its advice applicable to libraries too, as was the case with yesterday’s post, “22 Hot New Social Media Tools Worth Exploring.”

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