The presentation for the DOCLINE Users Group Meeting, given at the 2013 MLA Annual Meeting, is now available to view from the NLM DOCLINE presentations page. The presentation includes speaker notes. The “MLA 2013 DOCLINE Update” presents data highlights and preliminary analysis from the recent national survey of DOCLINE libraries, as part of the NLM strategic planning initiative exploring the future of resource sharing. The goal of the initiative was to better understand the resource sharing needs of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, given the declining use of DOCLINE for ILL and Loansome Doc for document delivery. The results showed that DOCLINE is still a vital service! The presentation also gave a brief overview of recent and upcoming DOCLINE releases.

Libraries are invited to share their thoughts on the results presented, and any further insights into future needs regarding obtaining biomedical literature for health professionals. Comments may be sent to NLM by using the Contact Us feature of DOCLINE, or by discussing with NN/LM PSR staff.

The National Library of Medicine’s WISER for Android 2.0 is now available and can be installed directly from the Google Play Store. New features in this release include: 

• Emergency Response Guidebook data is now updated to the ERG 2012; WISER for Android includes a custom ERG 2012 tool; and
• WISER now fully integrates content from the Chemical Hazards Emergency Medical Management (CHEMM) website.

This integration includes:

• New hospital provider and preparedness planner profiles;
• Acute care guidelines for six known mass casualty agents/agent classes;
• The addition of a wealth of CHEMM reference material; and
• CHEMM Intelligent Syndrome Tool (CHEMM-IST); a new help identify tool designed to diagnose the type of chemical exposure after a mass casualty incident.

These exciting additions are coming soon:

• Updates to the Windows and WebWISER platforms to include CHEMM integration, ERG 2012 data, and more;
• Data updates for all WISER platforms; and
• WISER for Android 3.1, which adds Help Identify Chemical and protective distance mapping to this popular platform.

WISER is a system designed to assist first responders in hazardous material incidents. WISER provides a wide range of information on hazardous substances, including substance identification support, physical characteristics, human health information, and containment and suppression advice.

The National Library of Medicine (NLM) has announced a funding opportunity for small projects to improve access to disaster medicine and public health information for health care professionals, first responders, and others that play a role in health-related disaster preparedness, response, and recovery. NLM is soliciting proposals from partnerships that include at least one library and at least one non-library organization that has disaster-related responsibilities, such as health departments, public safety departments, emergency management departments, prehospital and emergency medical services, fire/rescue, or other local, regional, or state agencies with disaster health responsibilities; hospitals; faith-based and voluntary organizations active in disaster; and others. Contract awards will be offered for a minimum of $15,000 to a maximum of $30,000, for a one-year project. The deadline for responses is Thursday, June 20, 2013, at 11 am PT. Responses are limited to six pages plus supplemental materials such as resumes, letters of support, and a budget.

NLM is looking for innovative proposals that enhance mutually beneficial collaboration among libraries and disaster-related agencies. For example, projects may increase awareness of health information resources, demonstrate how libraries and librarians can assist planners and responders with disaster-related information needs, show ways in which disaster workers can educate librarians about disaster management, and/or include collaboration among partners in developing information resources that support planning and response to public health emergencies. Summaries of projects funded in 2011 and 2012 are available for viewing. The solicitation notice can be found on FedBizOpps. Visit NLM’s Disaster Information Management Research Center web site for additional information and instructions about the “Disaster Health Information Outreach and Collaboration Project 2013.”

The National Library of Medicine has launched an online adaptation of the traveling banner exhibition, A Voyage to Health, an exploration of how the revival of Native Hawaiian sea voyaging traditions helped heal the soul of the community. The launch of the web site celebrates the 19-year anniversary of the May 9, 1994 return of Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe island to the Hawaiian people by the United States Navy. This online project begins with the migration of voyagers from the South Pacific who settled on the Hawaiian island of Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe, and details the loss of sovereignty and suppression of culture Native Hawaiians experienced by the US annexation of Hawai‘i. It highlights the contemporary movement to reclaim and protect Kanaloa Kaho‘olawe, and the restoration of traditional sea voyaging, which have served as unexpected catalysts of a Native Hawaiian cultural renaissance; a reconnection to ancient sources of pride and wellness.

The web site is augmented by education resources that explore the exhibition content: two lesson plans for grades 4-8; a six-class higher education module developed by noted Native Hawaiian scholar Davianna Pōmaika‘i McGregor, PhD; two online activities; and a collection of other online resources. A Voyage to Health was curated by Davianna Pōmaika‘i McGregor, PhD (University of Hawai‘i), Hardy Spoehr (Papa Ola Lokahi), and Maile Taualii, PhD, MPH (Papa Ola Lokahi), in cooperation with NLM Exhibition Program curator Manon Parry, PhD. The traveling banner exhibition A Voyage to Health has traveled to 17 locations in the continental United States and nine locations around the world!

The NLM exhibit booth at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the Medical Library Association in Boston featured theater presentations to bring users up-to-date on several NLM products and services. The presentation recordings are captioned and accessible from the NLM Distance Education Program Resources page. The presentations include:

• (BYOD) Bring Your Own Device: NLM Apps and Social Media (19 min.)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: A New Look (20 min.)
• History of Medicine Division: Exhibitions, Programs, and Resources (17 min.)
• Implementing RDA: the NLM Perspective (25 min.)
• Managing NIH Public Access Compliance using My NCBI (25 min.)
• MedlinePlus & MedlinePlus Connect (16 min.)
• NLM Terminology Resources and Meaningful Use (22 min.)
• PubMed Central International Overview (18 min.)
• PubMed Update (24 min.)
• Resources for Health Services Research & Public Health (17 min.)
• Resources for a Multi-Cultural World (14 min.)
• What’s New @ PubMed Health (13 min.)

Note: To listen to the voice recordings and view the captions you may need the latest version of Flash® Player (download for free from the Adobe Web site). To zoom in to detailed screens, use the scroll button. For more information, go to the NLM Technical Bulletin page.

NIH News in Health is a monthly newsletter from the National Institutes of Health, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) plays a major role in finding better ways to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent diseases. The practical health information in NIH News in Health is reviewed by NIH’s medical experts and based on research conducted either by NIH’s own scientists, or by grantees at universities and medical schools around the country. This issue features:

• A Bang to the Brain: What We Know About Concussions
• On Sound Footing: The Health of Your Feet
• Ex-Smokers Gain Health Benefits Despite Added Pounds
• Allergies and Complementary Medicine
• Featured Website: NIH BRAIN Initiative

NIH News in Health is available online in both HTML and PDF formats. Print copies are available free of charge for offices, clinics, community centers and libraries within the U.S.

On May 6, 2013, a new version of the Electronic Fund Transfer System (EFTS) was released. There are a number of enhancements in this version in addition to a new appearance. Over the next few weeks the EFTS staff will be blogging about these changes. To keep you in the loop with what is happening, subscribe to the EFTS-L Listserv, if you have not done so already.

When you go to the home page you will notice in the upper left corner, a new and more modern looking member login. Since users are now accustomed to logging in from the home page EFTS has decided to adopt the concept as well.

Note: If you are experiencing a browser error using your old bookmark, replace it with a new bookmark for the EFTS home page at https://efts.uchc.edu/.

For more information about EFTS and how to become a member, go to the About EFTS page. If you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to call the RML at 1-800-338-7657 or e-mail us at psr-nnlm@library.ucla.edu!

The federal government’s Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) has developed a free resource to help health care providers learn more about the evidence supporting eight quality improvement strategies. “Closing the Quality Gap: Revisiting the State of the Science” (CQG Series) is a new series of eight evidence reports that focus on various aspects of health care quality. This series not only expands the topic terrain beyond that covered in the initial 2004-2007 collection of reports, but also marshals the knowledge of eight Evidence-based Practice Centers (EPCs), with the goal of applying and advancing the state of the science for improving the health care system for the benefit of all patients. AHRQ’s evidence reports offer an unbiased analysis of available research on specific health care topics. The individual reports are:

• “Bundled Payment: Effects on Health Care Spending and Quality” 12-E007-1
• “The Patient-Centered Medical Home” 12-E008-1
• “Quality Improvement Interventions to Address Health Disparities” 12-E009-1
• “Medication Adherence Interventions: Comparative Effectiveness” 12-E010-1
• “Public Reporting as a Quality Improvement Strategy” 12-E011-1
• “Prevention of Healthcare–Associated Infections” 12(13)-E012-1
• “Quality Improvement Measurement of Outcomes for People With Disabilities” 12(13)-E013-1
• “Improving Health Care and Palliative Care for Advanced and Serious Illness” 12(13)-E014-1

To order the set, request publication OM 13-0014 from the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse at 1-800-358-9295 or ahrqpubs@ahrq.gov.

On April 25, 2003, the National Library of Medicine launched Genetics Home Reference (GHR), a free online resource about human genetics created for patients, families, and the general public. The Web site provides a bridge between the public’s questions about human genetics and the rich technical data that has emerged from the Human Genome Project (observing the 10th anniversary of its completion on April 25th) and other genomic research.

GHR provides consumer-friendly summaries of genetic conditions and their associated genes, gene families, and chromosomes. The site also features a primer called “Help Me Understand Genetics,” an illustrated introduction to fundamental topics in human genetics; including mutations, inheritance, genetic testing, gene therapy, and genomic research. Additionally, GHR offers helpful background information, including a glossary of genetic and medical terms and links to numerous other quality resources. A “Spotlight” feature on the GHR home page highlights important observances and discoveries in the field of human genetics, and draws attention to useful learning tools and clinical resources.

When it was launched a decade ago, Genetics Home Reference featured 19 condition summaries and 16 gene descriptions. Today, GHR offers easy-to-read summaries of about 850 genetic conditions, more than 1,060 genes, more than 80 gene families, all of the human chromosomes, and mitochondrial DNA. New summaries are added regularly. GHR currently receives about 43,000 visitors per day and 39 million hits per month, suggesting that it continues to be an important and useful health resource!

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has released a free, mobile web app of its Emergency Response Guidebook 2012 (ERG). The new safety tool will provide the nation’s emergency responders with fast, easily accessible information to help them manage hazardous material incidents. The mobile ERG will make it easier for firefighters, police and other emergency first responders to quickly locate the information they need, thanks to an electronic word search function, and will ensure easy reading even during nighttime emergencies. The 2012 version of the ERG includes new evacuation tables for large toxic gas spills and standard response procedures for gas and liquid pipeline incidents.

PHMSA and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ National Library of Medicine (NLM) joined forces in producing the two free ERG mobile applications. Links to download this software are available from the Apple iTunes website at ERG 2012 for iPhone and from the Google Play website at ERG 2012 for Android. In addition, a version of the ERG is available in NLM’s Wireless Information System for Emergency Responders (WISER) application. An instructional video for learning how to use the ERG 2012 is also available on PHMSA’s website.