SynthesisJournal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA2004
Evaluating the effectiveness of clinical medical librarian programs: a systematic review of the literature.
Synthesis in Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA, 2004. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 28 papers, 5 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
28 citing papers in PubMed, 5 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- University library reading promotion and college students' cultural development: a meta-analysis of psychological mechanisms and moderating effects.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Risk factors and intervention of caregiver burden in Parkinson's disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2024Pooled it
- The emerging informationist specialty: a systematic review of the literature.Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA · 2008Pooled it
- Effects of librarian-provided services in healthcare settings: a systematic review.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIAPooled it
- A systematic review of the literature on multidisciplinary rounds to design information technology.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIAPooled it
- A randomized effectiveness trial of a clinical informatics consult service: impact on evidence-based decision-making and knowledge implementation.Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association : JAMIATrial
- Demonstrating library value: the development of a customizable Library Value Planner.The journal of the Canadian Health Libraries Association · 2025Article
- A state observer-based robust control method for perturbation-containing nonlinear discrete interconnected Systems.PloS one · 2025Article
- Multi - dimensional mechanism analysis ofFrontiers in pharmacology · 2025Article
- Flipped online teaching of histology and embryology with design thinking: design, practice and reflection.BMC medical education · 2024Observational
- Screening and evaluation of bamboo shoots: Comparing the content of trace elements from 100 species.Food chemistry: X · 2024Article
- Reforestation ofFrontiers in microbiology · 2024Article
- Dynamic Changes in Proteome during Yak Oocyte Maturation Analyzed Using iTRAQ Technology.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2023Article
- Potential herb‒drug interactions between anti-COVID-19 drugs and traditional Chinese medicine.Acta pharmaceutica Sinica. B · 2023Review
- Providing real-time resources in support of LGBTQ+ and HIV+ populations as information experts on the ECHO hub team: a case report.Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA · 2021Article
- Clinical informationist participation in grand round sessions of gastroenterology department: An action research study.Journal of education and health promotion · 2021Article
- Evaluating the impact of clinical librarians on clinical questions during inpatient rounds.Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA · 2018Article
- Roles for librarians in systematic reviews: a scoping review.Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA · 2018Article
- What drove the Evidence Cart? Bringing the library to the bedside.Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine · 2016Article
- Welcoming systematic reviews to the Journal of the Medical Library Association.Journal of the Medical Library Association : JMLA · 2014Article
Corrections and comments
- Reprinted as
Authors and funding
2 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThis study was undertaken to determine if a systematic review of the evidence from thirty years of literature evaluating clinical medical librarian (CML) programs could help clarify the effectiveness of this outreach service model.
methodsA descriptive review of the CML literature describes the general characteristics of these services as they have been implemented, primarily in teaching-hospital settings. Comprehensive searches for CML studies using quantitative or qualitative evaluation methods were conducted in the medical, allied health, librarianship, and social sciences literature.
findingsThirty-five studies published between 1974 and 2001 met the review criteria. Most (30) evaluated single, active programs and used descriptive research methods (e.g., use statistics or surveys/questionnaires). A weighted average of 89% of users in twelve studies found CML services useful and of high quality, and 65% of users in another overlapping, but not identical, twelve studies said these services contributed to improved patient care.
conclusionsThe total amount of research evidence for CML program effectiveness is not great and most of it is descriptive rather than comparative or analytically qualitative. Standards are needed to consistently evaluate CML or informationist programs in the future. A carefully structured multiprogram study including three to five of the best current programs is needed to define the true value of these services.
Indexed as
Identifiers
14762460PMC314100What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.