AISR’s support for clinical programs has expanded with two new staff in Information Services. Each is available to train clinicians and patient care staff on available information resources, answer information queries, develop and support programs like journal clubs, provide small group support, and more.

Patricia Wynne, BSN, MS, leads the program as Associate University Librarian for Information and Clinical Support Services. Pat obtained her Master’s degree in Library Science following a 14 year career as a Registered Nurse.  She always had a strong interest in libraries which led her to pursue advanced education in this field so that she could combine it with her  medical/nursing knowledge.  This has led to a successful second career in medical librarianship for well over 10 years.

Paul Hunter, DMD, MLIS, assists as Clinical Informatics Librarian. Paul has come to the field more recently, transitioning from a career as a dentist, most recently at the University of Pennsylvania.  He decided to focus on clinical informatics because he enjoys using his background with health science terminology to teach effective techniques for seeking information.

The new program has grown out of a planning retreat between members of AISR and TJUH staff.  Together we developed a clinical goal in support of patient care:

1. Supporting clinical decision making that is evidence based.
2. Improving access to the knowledge resources of the Scott Library.
3. Supporting the continuous learning of all clinicians.

Specific activities to support the goal have been undertaken this year:

• Embedding SML staff members within the clinical environment on a part time basis as a pilot program.
• Demonstrating the relevance of Scott Library resources to improving quality of patient outcomes.
• Supporting the TJU Hospital learning environment with AISR tools such as videoconferencing, Blackboard, webcasting, streaming media.
• Working collaboratively with key hospital units to continue to improve the learning infrastructure of the clinical environment.
• Supporting a Journal Club for TJUH Nurses.

AISR also works with representatives of TJUH units to review information resources and clinical tools, so that hospital staff has direct input into the selection of journals, books, databases and decision-support tools.  Membership in the Clinical Resources Advisory Group rotates annually, and the group meets regularly to advise AISR staff.

Forgotten,  by Nicole Salomone

All her life, Abigail Jones has been at the pinnacle of colonial American society. But, when her house is maliciously destroyed, she becomes a camp follower of the Continental Army. Ill-prepared or trained for such a life, she finds friends in the medical community. Before long, she is thrust into a world of politics and disease, where loyalty is a rare and precious commodity. Using her wits and personality, she treads the fine line between the intentions of the officers and the suffering of the soldiers, all while trying to fit in.

The Meeting

Join your colleagues for the next Jefferson Book Club discussion on
Thursday, June 7th from 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm in room 200b Scott
All students, faculty, and staff welcome.
Lunch will be provided.
Copies available from Jefferson Bookstore at a 15% discount and at Scott Library.
Please RSVP to joanne.gotto@jefferson.edu

The new armchair seating on the first floor is bright and comfortable. New study chairs, tables and lamps are much more inviting than the old furniture. The combination of wireless service with adequate lighting and power access allows students full flexibility with their laptops and mobiles. The popular book collection is now displayed to advantage along the wall; new carpet, reconditioning of the grand stairs, and an updated security area in the lobby complete the first floor renovations.

On the 2nd floor, bright new supportive armchairs and reading lamps around the fish tank have replaced the broken down and ragged old chairs and dim lights. It makes a huge difference in the feel of the space (though it may not encourage napping). Also on the 2nd floor, carpet repair has been completed, and the reference book collection has been reduced so that additional space can be opened on the west side of the floor.

     

On the 3rd floor, carpet repairs allowed the computers to move from the elevator area to our newly-cleared space on the west side of the floor. Look for new quiet study carrels to replace the temporary tables in early summer. The north wall is being rehabilitated as exhibit space for art, medical history, and other forms of the humanities. It is planned tobecome a vibrant visual corridor.

What Lies Ahead?

Over the summer, a new round of construction is planned for the east and west walls of the floor, adding up to 10 group study rooms for student use. For now, though, large monitors at group tables, portable white boards, and large empty spaces with movable chairs are allowing students to show Library staff what kind of flexibility they need in a space. We’ve been experimenting with making various tools and software available, to see what students embrace.  Of course, this will inform future redevelopment of Library spaces.

Your comments are welcome!  You can leave a comment on this post, or send email to AskaLibrarian@jefferson.edu.

In the second session, the guest speakers were joined by Jefferson faculty with experience in NIH review for a mock study section panel.  The Jefferson faculty included Constantine Daskalakis, ScD, Gerald Grunwald, PhD, and Diane Merry, PhD. If you missed it, this YouTube video from NIH, NIH Peer Review Revealed, gives you the idea.

For questions about finding research funding, please consult AISR’s Grants Information Service.

According to HHS, “The update confirms progress in the effort to make healthcare safer and less costly by reducing preventable complications of care, including healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).”  A new state-by-state breakdown by the CDC reports that HAIs in hospitals have been declining since HHS first introduced its National Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare-Associated Infections: Roadmap to Elimination in 2009.

Public comments on the revised action plan are invited from now until June 25, 2012.

• Comments are preferred electronically and may be addressed to OHQ@hhs.gov.
• Written responses should be addressed to the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Healthcare Quality, 200 Independence Ave, S.W., Room 711G, Washington, D.C. 20201, Attention: Draft National HAI AP

View the press release.

View the action plan.

View the Federal Register Notice soliciting written comments.

Jeffrey Beall, a librarian at the University of Colorado, Denver, has been investigating, writing and speaking out about predatory and unethical publishing practices for some time.  His blog, Scholarly Open Access, critiques a variety of publishers and individual journals, and points out warning signs for would-be authors.

Some journals charge excessive fees, or conceal the fee structure.   In an entry he titles “Bait and Switch,” Beall notes that “one of the tactics that predatory open-access publishers use is to solicit and accept manuscripts from authors, publish the manuscripts, and then invoice the authors for the author fee.”

As a companion to the blog, Beall also maintains a list of publishers and journals to be avoided, applying his own standards of evaluation.  It’s always worth doing your own investigating or checking in with the reference staff at your own Scott Memorial Library before submitting to a journal you’re not familiar with, but Beall’s work is a reminder to do your due diligence before submitting your article.

Visit the blog.

See the list of predatory publishers.

Curious?  Watch our 1 minute video on how you can populate your online libraries with assets found in the JDC.

It’s just one more step to make your research process easier!

If you have questions contact the manager of the Commons:   Dan Kipnis, dan.kipnis@jefferson.edu

Visit the Jefferson Digital Commons now.

The GHDx is a catalog of publicly-accessible data and records compiled by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington.   The database describes and provides links to the data from government bodies, the World Health Organization, and other sources.  You may search the database by keyword, or browse by geographic area or type of report.

The Institute also provides interactive data visualization tools:

• Preset interactive maps cover topics such as life expectancy, causes of death, diabetes prevalence, maternal mortality and more.
• A GIS tool allows you to create a custom visualization.

You’ll find links to the Global Health Data Exchange on JEFFLINE’s Databases A-Z list and several of our Subject Guides, such as Statistics, and Health Policy and Administration.

Visit the Global Health Data Exchange now.

In his budget for fiscal year 2013, Governor Corbett proposes defunding the CURE program created by Act 77 in 2001, diverting almost $60 million in research funds from the tobacco settlement into the general budget for other purposes. If the defunding takes place, Jefferson stands to lose $2 to $4 million per year in research funding.

Left intact with sustained funding, the CURE program will advance promising medical discoveries, support the hiring and retention of skilled workers, leverage federal and private research funding, and catalyze the formation of biotechnology companies.

Please voice your support of the CURE program by taking a moment to send a note (see suggested letter HERE) to your PA State representative. You can find your representative on this website. Jefferson’s Kimmel Cancer Center is a member of the Pennsylvania Cancer Alliance.

Contact for questions or further information:

Barbara Henderson
Director, Communications
Thomas Jefferson University
Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals
211 South 9th Street
Suite 300, Walnut Towers
Philadelphia, PA 19107
Ph: 215-955-2236
Fx: 215-923-1835

For too long, the county has focused on treating people after they become sick instead of preventing diseases before they occur.   Investing in disease prevention is the most effective, common-sense way to improve health — helping to spare millions of Americans from developing preventable illnesses, reduce health care costs and improve the productivity of the American workforce — so we can be competitive with the rest of the world.

For eight years, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation has supported the Trust for America’s Health in releasing an annual Investing in America’s Health report to examine public health funding and key health facts in states around the country.

Where you live is a strong influence on how healthy you are.  Disease rates vary dramatically from city to city and region to region – and funding for public health and disease prevention programs also vary dramatically from neighborhood to neighborhood, community to community, city to city and state to state.

In a related data release (also supported by Robert Wood Johnson Foundation), county health rankings for 3,000 counties across the country  were published in early April.  Not surprisingly, Philadelphia didn’t rate very highly.  Read a Philadelphia Business Journal article about local data comparisons, or visit the interactive map to explore.

Link to full report:  Investing in America’s Health (PDF; 2.81 MB)

Link to the publication web page to view individual community profiles