Elena Goldblatt ,Library Coordinator, Public Health and Community Services Library

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Tools and Vehicles for Knowledge Transfer The
Role of Information Professionals

• Elena Goldblatt ,Library Coordinator, Public
  Health and Community Services Library
• Yvonne Tyml, Librarian, Middlesex-London Health
  Unit
• Gayle Jessop, Public Health Librarian
• Region of Waterloo Public Health
• Beata Pach, Information/Knowledge Specialist
  MOHLTC Strategic Planning and Implementation
  Branch
• Crystal Merriott, Library Coordinator, Simcoe
  Muskoka District Health Unit

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Tools and Vehicles for Knowledge Transfer The
Role of Information Professionals

• Evidence-based Public Health
• Knowledge Transfer (KT) Principles
• KT Barriers and Promoters
• KT Tools and Methods
• Role of Information Professionals in KT

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The Evidence Environment

• Accountability
• Scarce resources
• Client experience and quality of care
• Recent reports

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Evidence approaches and terminology

• Different approaches
• Varied terminology

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Evidence-based Public Health

• The development, implementation and
  evaluation of effective programs and policies in
  public health through application of principles
  of scientific reasoning, including systematic
  uses of data and information systems, and
  appropriate use of behavioral science theory and
  program planning models

Bowen, S. Zwi, A.B.  (2005, July).  Pathways to
evidence-informed policy and practice a
framework for action.  PLoS Medicine, 2(7), e166
(0600-0605).   Brownson, R.C., Baker, E.A., Leet,
T. L. Gillespie, K. N.  (2003).  Evidence-based
public health.New York Oxford University Press.

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Evidence-based initiatives and approaches in
Canada

• Effective Public Health Practice Project (EPHPP)
• http//www.myhamilton.ca/myhamilton/CityandGovern
  ment/HealthandSocialServices/Research/EPHPP
• Health-evidence.ca
• http//health-evidence.ca/
• PEN Practice-based evidence in nutrition
• Dieticians of Canada
• http//www.dieteticsatwork.com/pen/
• IDM Manual a Guide to the IDM (Interactive
  Domain Model) Best Practices Approach to Better
  Health Evidence Framework
• http//www.idmbestpractices.ca/idm.php?contentre
  sourcesidmmanual

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Knowledge Transfer

• Research Dissemination
• Presentations
• Publications
• Less formal communication channels

Figure adapted with permission Dobbins, M.,
Ciliska, D., Cockerill, R., Barnsley, J., DCenso,
A. (2002). A framework for the dissemnnation and
utilization of research for health-care policy
and practice. The Online Journal of Knowledge
Synthesis for Nursing, 9(7).
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KT Barriers and Promoters

• Access
• Time
• Cost
• Organizational culture
• Education

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Expertise/Skill set

• Expertise in research evaluation
• Skill in research synthesis
• Knowledge of research sources
• Knowledge of search strategies and research
  methods
• Knowledge management skills
• Knowledge of experts
• Knowledge of evidence based medicine/practice
  principle

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Tools and Methods of Knowledge Transfer

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Tools

• Academic journals
• Bibliographic databases
• Best practice guidelines/clinical practice
  guidelines/clearinghouses
• Collaboration tools
• Communities of practice
• Electronic products websites and portals
• Email
• Information Professionals

• Professional conferences
• RSS Feeds
• Specialized Personnel or Knowledge Intermediaries
• Systematic reviews
• Web casts
• Websites, Computer Models

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Methods

• Academic detailing
• Communities of practice
• Continuing education courses
• Current awareness services
• Discussion forums
• Distribution to targeted audience
• Document delivery
• Electronic products
• Electronic dissemination
• Feedback
• Information professionals
• Invisible college group of peers who consult
  each other
• Knowledge audits
• Listservs
• Joint projects

• Professional conferences
• Specialized personnel or Knowledge Intermediaries
  
• Research, collaboration and capacity building
• Research officers
• Staff to staff training
• Table of contents dissemination
• Training
• Web casts
• Websites, computer models

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PortalsPublic Health Portals PublicHealthOntari
o.ca and eHealthOntario.ca
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Collaboration Tool Pilot
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Role of Public Health Librarians in Knowledge
Transfer
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Core Competencies of Public Health Librarians

• Familiar with multiple sources of information and
  how to use them
• Displays expert knowledge of public health
  practice
• Supports learning needs of the organization
• Provides value-added services
• Has access to global networks of information
  professionals
• Continuous Improvement
• Develops strong in-house collection of electronic
  and print resources to meet the strategic
  direction of the health unit

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Searching Skills

• Experts in sourcing and using on-line databases
• Able to search across many disciplines
• Advanced skills in locating Internet sources
• Continually scanning the environment to keep
  abreast of new developments

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Access to Grey Literature

• Includes
• E-publishing ( contents of websites, electronic
  newsletters etc)
• Government documents
• Organizational reports
• Meeting abstracts
• Newspaper and newsletter articles
• Materials not indexed in commercial databases

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Critical Appraisal, Quality Assessment and
Organizational Skills

• Assesses information needs
• Sorts through vast amounts of information
• Filters information to provide the most
  appropriate research based on the information
  need
• Organizes information provided into user-friendly
  format
• Puts order to the knowledge that is out there

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The New Public Health Librarian

• Beyond the walls
• No longer gatekeepers
• Customer-focused
• Information broker
• Leaders in knowledge transfer

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www.ophla.ca