Why are they not accessing it? User barriers to clinical information access

Modelling of physicians' clinical information-seeking behaviour in Iran: a grounded theory study

OBJECTIVES

Exploring clinical information-seeking behaviour (CISB) and its associated factors contributes to its theoretical advancement and offers a valuable framework for addressing physicians' information needs. This study delved into the dimensions, interactions, strategies and determinants of CISB among physicians at the point of care.

DESIGN

A grounded theory study was developed based on Strauss and Corbin's approach. Data were collected by semistructured interviews and then analysed through open, axial and selective coding.

SETTING

The study was conducted at academic centres affiliated with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences.

PARTICIPANTS

This investigation involved recruiting 21 specialists and subspecialists from the academic centres.

RESULTS

The findings revealed that physicians' CISB encompassed multiple dimensions when addressing clinical inquiries. Seven principal themes emerged from the analysis: 'clinical information needs', 'clinical question characteristics', 'clinical information resources', 'information usability', 'factors influencing information seeking', 'action/interaction encountering clinical questions' and 'consequences of CISB'. The core category identified in this study was 'focused attention'.

CONCLUSIONS

The theoretical explanation demonstrated that the CISB process was interactive and dynamic. Various stimuli, including causal, contextual and intervening conditions, guide physicians in adopting information-seeking strategies and focusing on resolving clinical challenges. However, insufficient stimuli may hinder physicians' engagement in CISB. Understanding CISB helps managers, policy-makers, clinical librarians and information system designers optimally implement several interventions, such as suitable training methods, reviewing monitoring and evaluating information systems, improving clinical decision support systems, electronic medical records and electronic health records, as well as monitoring and evaluating these systems. Such measures facilitate focused attention on clinical issues and promote CISB among physicians.

Postprints-to-preprints linkage to enhance access to scientific literature

Preprint servers can enhance the access to scientific literature by bidirectional linkage from published papers (postprints) to their counterpart preprint versions. The current state of linkage is to link preprints to their corresponding postprints (peer-reviewed articles published in journals). Here, I suggest an opposite automated linkage, from postprints to preprints wherever and whenever preprints are posted on a preprint server. Such connection from paid postprint versions to free preprint versions makes sense as it removes the barriers to get access to paywalled publications freely and easily.

Personalized and Self-Management: Systematic Search and Evaluation Quality Factors and User Preference of Drug Reference Apps in Taiwan

Background: Drug reference apps promote self-management and improve the efficiency and quality of work for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and patients. This study aimed to describe a systematic and stepwise process to identify drug reference apps in Taiwan, assess the quality of these apps, and analyze the influential factors for user ratings. Methods: A two-step algorithm (KESS) consisting of keyword growing and systematic search was proposed. Seven independent reviewers were trained to evaluate these apps using Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). A logistic regression model was fitted and average marginal effects (AME) were calculated to identify the effects of factors for higher user ratings. Results: A total of 23 drug reference apps in Taiwan were identified and analyzed. Generally, these drug reference apps were evaluated as acceptable quality with an average MARS score of 3.23. Higher user engagement, more functionality, better aesthetics, and more information associated with higher user ratings. Navigation is the most influential factor on higher user ratings (AME: 13.15%) followed by performance (AME: 11.03%), visual appeal (AME: 10.87%), credibility (AME: 10.67%), and quantity of information (AME: 10.42%). Conclusions: User experience and information clearly affect user ratings of drug reference apps. Five key factors should be considered when designing drug reference apps.