Authors: Yini Zhu, Mina Ghajar, Ermira Mitre
Objective
Despite the availability of various online patient education resources, the majority of physicians have not incorporated them into practice. The SHARE Program’s objective is to reach out to physicians, faculty, students, nurses, patients and their families to raise the awareness of consumer health information resources available through the National Library of Medicine and the Health Sciences Libraries at Rutgers University.
Methods
In evaluating our library services, we determined that a gap existed in promoting patient education resources. To bridge this, we decided to create the SHARE Program (Spreading Heath Awareness with Resources and Education).
First, we determined that this program should be jointly implemented by the Access Services and Reference departments due to their respective strengths in knowledge of library services and research instruction. Next, we agreed that our efforts should focus on promoting NLM’s MedlinePlus health and Drug Information, and HealthyNJ due to their comprehensive and authoritative information.
Finally we determined the format for SHARE would be weekly tables/tents at the Medical School and the University Hospital where we would conduct demonstrations and trainings and distribute specially designed SHARE Card, instructional and health literacy materials. Evaluation form and log sheet would be collected for program assessment and analysis.
Results
SHARE launched on August 26, 2015 and is slated to end on August 30, 2016. Evaluation forms and log sheets are being collected at each session to assess participant feedback and the resulting data are being analyzed and evaluated as they are collected. A detailed program report will be submitted to the NN/LM Grant Review Committee before May 14, 2016, and, if this topic is selected for MLA 2016, the results will also be submitted and included on the poster.
Conclusion
As this is an ongoing project, a conclusion is not available at this time. All collected data will be analyzed prior to MLA 2016, and a conclusion will be drawn by then.
