Disseminating health evidence summaries to increase evidence use in health care

ABSTRACT OBJECTIVE: To verify whether an intervention based on disseminating health evidence summaries by e-mail to health professionals increases access to health evidence databases, and whether health professionals intend to apply the evidence received by e-mail in their clinical practice. METHODS: This quantitative study started with a survey to collect demographic data and patterns of access to health evidence databases. It was followed by a longitudinal intervention, over 48 weeks, that disseminated 143 health evidence summaries to 339 health professionals with higher education degree who work in the Brazilian Unified Health System. In the longitudinal intervention phase, health professionals voluntarily assessed the received health evidence summaries using the information assessment method. Finally, the study concluded with a survey to identify changes in accessing health evidence databases. RESULTS: Of the 339 Brazilian health professionals participating in this research, 90 (26.5%) answered the initial and final surveys. After 48 weeks, there was an increase in the use of health evidence databases; 186 (54.9%) participants submitted 7,942 assessments of health evidence summaries, which were relevant for patient care in 5,409 (68%) assessments. CONCLUSIONS: The dissemination of health evidence summaries by e-mail to health professionals in Brazil increases the reported use of evidence in clinical practice.

Using ontologies to retrieve health evidence information from clinical notes / Uso de ontologias para recuperar informação de evidência em saúde a partir de notas clínicas / El uso de ontologías para recuperar información de evidencia em salud a partir de las notas clínicas

Objective: To present a strategy to search evidence databases directly from clinical notes, thus relieving health professionals from performing searches. Method: An ontology related to health domain, specifically for the domain of adult asthma, was developed to illustrate how to extract search terms from clinical notes. Another ontology was developed to describe evidence databases. Results: Synthetic notes, simulating clinical conditions for patients with respiratory diseases, were used to search information from two evidence databases, PubMed and PEDro. SPARQL queries were automatically generated to connect both ontologies. Conclusion: This scenario demonstrated how to search for evidence from electronic health records notes, helping health professionals to receive relevant information while they assist patients.

Objetivo: Apresentar uma estratégia para pesquisar bases de evidências a partir de notas clínicas, aliviando os profissionais de saúde da tarefa de elaborar buscas. Método: Uma ontologia no domínio da saúde, especificamente sobre asma em adultos, foi desenvolvida para ilustrar como obter informação para a estratégia de busca a partir das notas clínicas. Outra ontologia captura informações sobre as bases de evidências. Resultados: Notas sintéticas, simulando condições clínicas de pacientes com doenças respiratórias, foram utilizadas para buscar informação em duas bases de evidências distintas, PubMed e PEDro. Consultas em SPARQL foram automaticamente geradas para conectar as ontologias. Conclusão: Este cenário demonstrou a viabilidade de procurar por evidências a partir de registros eletrônicos de saúde, ajudando os profissionais de saúde a obter informações relevantes enquanto atendem pacientes.

Objetivo: Presentar una estrategia para buscar bases de evidencia directamente de las notas clínicas, creadas en los registros electrónicos de salud, con ontologías para capturar conocimiento relacionado a la salud y a las bases de evidencia. Método: Una ontología, que se define para el dominio de la salud de asma del adulto, se utiliza para extraer información relevante de notas clínicas. Otra ontología captura información sobre bases de evidencia. Resultados: Notas simulando las condiciones clínicas para pacientes con enfermedades respiratorias se utilizaron para buscar información de dos bases de evidencia, PubMed y Pedro. Consultas SPARQL se generan automáticamente para conectar ambas ontologías. Conclusión: En este escenario se ha demostrado la viabilidad de la búsqueda de evidencia desde los registros electrónicos de salud, ayudando a los profesionales de salud para obtener información relevante al reunirse con pacientes.