Wednesday, June 18, 2008

FLS PAPER GETS MLA RESEARCH AWARD HONORABLE MENTION

I just received a letter from Carole Gilbert, Chair, MLA Awards Committee, stating "It is my pleasure to congratulate you for winning Honorable Mention for your paper "Connecting with Administrators:
Demonstrating the Value of Library Services" at the 2008 MLA Annual Meeting in Chicago". Congratulations to all of the authors.

Here is the abstract of the session:

Title: Connecting with Administrators: Demonstrating the Value of Library Services

Author Block: Edward J. Poletti, AHIP, Chief, Learning Resources Service, Central Arkansas Veterans Health Care System, Little Rock, AR; Dixie A. Jones, AHIP, Librarian, Medical Library, Overton Brooks VA Medical Center, Shreveport, LA; Priscilla L. Stephenson, AHIP, Chief, Library Service, G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery VA Medical Center, Jackson, MS; Marvett S. Burns, Medical Librarian, Medical Library, Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System, Biloxi, MS; Lola H. Purvis, Chief, Library Service, VA Medical Center, Alexandria, LA; Sara Blackwell, Librarian Manager, Library Service, Oklahoma City VA Medical Center, Oklahoma City, OK; Felicia Little, Librarian, Library Section, Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center, Houston, TX; Dianne B. Jones, Library Technician, Library Service, G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery VA Medical Center, Jackson, MS; Linton Swenson, Library Technician, Library Service, Fayetteville VA Medical Center, Fayetteville, AR; Sandra Todd, Library Technician; Library Service, Muskogee VA Medical Center, Muskogee, OK

Abstract:

Objective: Library staff in a regional network initiated a collaborative project to demonstrate the value of library services to network management by focusing on three areas: (1) the value of information provided by literature searches through contributions to quality patient care and cost savings, (2) interlibrary loan cost savings, and (3) the cost efficiency of shared electronic resources.

Methods: During fiscal year 2007, literature search requesters each received a questionnaire regarding the effects of the information supplied by the libraries on their knowledge, patient care, costs, and time. The questionnaire was patterned on the one used in Marshall's 1992 Rochester Study. Questions addressed pertinence; effects on patient care such as avoidance of adverse events, hospital admissions, patient mortality, and modes of treatment; time saved; and costs saved. Search recipients completed paper or online surveys, according to their preferences. Network library staff members were able to view all responses in an online spreadsheet. For the second area of focus, library staff compared interlibrary loan borrowing statistics with commercial document delivery costs and the average purchase costs for library materials. For the third area of focus, library staff evaluated the cost per use of the network's shared electronic resources.

Results: Literature searches had an impact on the decision-making process of clinicians, including the fact that 45% altered and 77% reinforced mode of treatment, while 95% provided information useful to direct patient care. Cost savings of the search information was $89,000, and time savings was equivalent to $58,430. The interlibrary loans resulted in cost savings/cost avoidance, especially through cost avoidance of periodical purchases of over $2,000,000. Selected virtual library resources were cost effective at a cost of only $0.94 per search.

Conclusion: Results were presented to South Central VA Health Care Network (VISN 16) management demonstrating the value of library services. In the current health care environment, it is imperative that librarians educate administrators about the value of what they do so that these decision makers are fully informed and remain (or become) fully supportive of library services and the role that they play in the provision of quality health information for quality health care.




Edward J. Poletti, MLS, AHIP
Chair, FLS 2008-2009

Chief, Learning Resources Service

Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System

4300 West 7th Street

Little Rock, Arkansas 72205

501-257-5622

2 comments:

Alice Hadley said...

Well deserved recognition. Congratulations.

Paper Research said...

Many institutions limit access to their online information. Making this information available will be an asset to all.