help button home button JAMIA Hate scrolling?
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
First published December 20, 2007 as JAMIA PrePrint; doi:10.1197/jamia.M2563
Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association 2008;15(2):240-245
© 2008 American Medical Informatics Association

A more recent version of this article appeared on March 1, 2008
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
M2563v1
15/2/240    most recent
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Grad, R. M.
Right arrow Articles by Wood-Dauphinee, S.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Grad, R. M.
Right arrow Articles by Wood-Dauphinee, S.

Submitted on July 18, 2007
Accepted on December 10, 2007

Impact of Research-based Synopses Delivered as Daily email: A Prospective Observational Study

Roland M. Grad MD, MSc1*, Pierre Pluye MD, PhD1, Jay Mercer MD2, Bernard Marlow MD3, Marie-Eve Beauchamp MSc4, Michael Shulha MLIS5, Janique Johnson-Lafleur MSc1, and Sharon Wood-Dauphinee PhD6

Affiliation of the authors: 1 Department of Family Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; 2 Practice Solutions Web Services, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 3 Continuing Professional Development, College of Family Physicians of Canada, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; 4 Department of Epidemiology, Biostatistics and Occupational Health, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada ; 5 Herzl Family Practice Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada; 6 School of Physical and Occupational Therapy, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada

* To whom correspondence should be addressed.

We conducted a prospective observational study to (1) determine usage and construct validity of a method to gauge the cognitive impact of information derived from daily email, and (2) describe self-reported impacts of research-based synopses (InfoPOEMs) delivered as email. Ratings of InfoPOEMs using an Impact assessment scale provided (a) data on usage of the impact assessment method, (b) reports of impact by InfoPOEM and by doctor and (c) data for analysis of construct validity of the scale. Participants were family physicians or general practitioners who rated at least five InfoPOEMs delivered on email. For each InfoPOEM rated, 0.1 continuing education credit was awarded by the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Use of the impact assessment scale linked to a daily InfoPOEM was sustained during the 150-day study period. 1,007 participants submitted 61,493 reports of 'cognitive impact' by rating on average 61 InfoPOEMs (range 5-111). 'I learned something new' was most frequently reported. 'I was frustrated as there was not enough information or nothing useful' was the most frequently reported negative type of impact. The proportion of reports of 'No Impact' varied substantially across individual InfoPOEMs. Impact patterns suggested an 8 or 9-factor solution. Our Impact assessment method facilitates knowledge transfer by promoting two-way exchange between providers of health information and family doctors. Providers of health information can use this method to better understand the impact of research-based synopses. Sustaining current practice and increasing knowledge about new developments in medicine are important outcomes arising from research-based synopses delivered as email, in addition to practice change.






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH
Copyright © 1994 by the American Medical Informatics Association.