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This presentation discusses the vital role of Informationists in medical research teams, highlighting their expertise in health information resources and contributions to grant writing, data management, and communication among team members. Presenters Sally A. Gore, MS, MS LIS, and Mary E. Costanza, MD, outline the impact of embedded Informationists on improving research efficiencies, knowledge management, and systematic reviews, emphasizing their collaboration in a funded project on breast cancer screening. Through this, they explore the evolving landscape of clinical research and the necessity for integrated support.
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A Librarian by Any Other Name The Role of the Informationist on a Medical School Research Team
Presenters Sally A. Gore, MS, MS LIS Research Librarian & Informationist Lamar Soutter Library University of Massachusetts Medical School Mary E. Costanza, MD Principal Investigator Professor of Medicine University of Massachusetts Medical School
The Informationist • Librarian • Expert in health information resources • Collection development • General referenceassistance • Instruction • Searching assistance • Informationist • Expert in health information resources and extensive domain knowledge • Consultation services • Database training • Systematic review • Knowledge management • Writing
A Little History the big picture These new professionals might be called informationists(not a graceful term, but one that parallels such terms as gastroenterologists or hospitalists), or clinical knowledge workers (in parallel with social workers).
A Little History at UMMS • A Funding Opportunity • A Chance to Expand Service • Finding Collaborators • Making it Happen
The Grant • Promoting Breast Cancer Screening in • Non-Adherent Women • A five year (2009-14) clinical research project funded by the National Institutes of Health. • A large controlled trial of women in a local health plan ages 40-84 randomized to 1 of 3 ways to improve getting mammograms regularly every 1-2 years
Promoting Breast Cancer Screening in Non-Adherent Women + + GOAL OF THE STUDY: To assess the cost-effectiveness of each arm in improving: Mammogram scheduling Mammogram completion Self-efficacy in repeating mammogram
Why an Informationist? The Collaborator’s View • Large data sets to handle • Multiple data sources • Multiple investigators • Confusion among data sources re variable definitions and names • Need to improve communication among investigators • Need for categorizing, creating taxonomies, clarifying data collection inconsistencies
Writing the Grant Proposal step one • Grant requirements for an embedded informationist • Review of ‘mother’ grant needs • Description of informationist’s training and strengths • Consultations with library seniority • Consultations with co-investigators • Iteration of multiple drafts • Submission of grant application
Writing the Grant Proposal Writing the Grant Proposal step two • Informationist should be a colleague • Share in discussion of progress of ‘mother’ grant • Assist in analyzing data • Participate in writing and publishing team manuscripts • Meet with team regularly
SUCCESS!! • Grant Funding: • September 2012 – January 2014 • Supporting 20% of Informationist’s Time (10 hrs/wk)
We Begin • Introduce Informationist to team members • Meet with individual key members of team • Participation at weekly team meetings • Review ongoing reports from analyst(s) • Extricate Informationist from on-going library duties
The Team • Fallon Community Health Plan • Claims Data Representative • Reliant Medical Group • Research Director • Research Coordinator • Site Project Director • Analyst • IT Guru • Chief of Radiology • Phone Counselors • Phone Schedulers • Primary Care Physicians • Claricode • Programmer • UMass Medical School • Family & Community Medicine • Principal Investigator • Project Director • Scheduler, Counselor Instructor • Administrative Secretary • Medicine • Principal Investigator • Behavioral Psychologist • Biostatistics • Biostatistician • Analyst • Center for Health Policy & Research • Director, Expert in Cost Analysis • Research Assistant • Library • Informationist
Progress to Date the informationist • AIM 1: Improve effectiveness and efficiency of communication w/in team regarding data • AIM 2:Articulate technology issues related to implementation of the study • AIM 3:Enhance information organization, management, utilization, and access skills of team members • AIM 4:Assess value of an informationist to the research team
Progress to Date the team Study began Jan. 2009 • Slowly winning battle with: • tracking system glitches • collating multiple data sources • miscommunication re variable names and definitions • 40,000 women on study • 4,500 reminder letters sent • 1,000 Wave 2 “Booster” reminder letters sent
Lessons Learned so far… • Need cooperative players • Need buy-in from research team • Earlier imbedding on team to improve research efforts • Optimum: join team early and help write ‘mother’ grant • Increase covered Informationist’s time • Be realistic about decreasing library commitments
The Future of Informationists • Mary’s Thoughts • Days of a single PI are over • Complex clinical studies have huge data bases from many data sources • Clear communication among investigators critical • Informationists can provide a team with conceptual cohesion • Sally’s Thoughts • Graduate programs MUST change • Research is NOT optional • Soft skills need to be recognized • Role isn’t always for librarians Hmmmm…