The Patricia Bowen Library has been providing patient information in the following ways:
- Health Information Library (HIL)Website
- Health Information Provision to Cardiology inpatients
- Health Information Provision to Cardiology Outpatients
- Health information to Stroke Patients
Health Information Library(HIL) Website
The Online Health Information Library is a One-Stop Information Portal which brings together accredited websites to provide good quality health information from a single point of access to promote health and well being, understand diseases, conditions and treatment choices.
It has been certified by Honcode, an ethical standard for good quality information. It has also been certified as a ‘supporting partner’ by the Information Standard which helps patients and the public make informed choices about their lifestyle, their condition and their options for treatment and care.
Health Information Provision to Cardiology inpatients
Good quality information which is reliable, timely, relevant and easy to understand is essential to promote self-care, shared-decision-making, medication adherence, recovery and patients’ well-being. With this objective in mind, the Library in partnership with Cas Shotter, Cardiology lead specialist Nurse, decided to initiate a project to provide Patient Information support for Cardiology Inpatients at discharge.
Provision of current and quality health information, tailored to the individual needs of the patients by a specialist librarian, saves valuable time for clinicians which can be diverted to patient care, and it also makes better utilisation of librarians’ information management skills.
If you want more information please contact us for full project report
To complement this project a Cardiology point has been included in the HIL website.
This project has won the certificate for innovation and was a runner-up over all for the Sally Hernando Award for innovation 2011-12, (which recognizes the innovative achievements of health libraries across the country)
A poster has been presented in CILIP Health Libraries Group Conference in Glasgow and also NHS HE Conference 2012 and won a prize . Ref: Devalapalli, U. et al. (2012) Library Information Specialist led Health Information Support Service for Cardiology Patients. [Internet] Poster.
A paper has been published about this project in British Journal of Nursing (ref: Devalapalli U, Badhe M, Weetman CS (2013) Using a health information library to empower patients. British Journal of Cardiac Nursing , Vol. 8, Issue. 3, 01 Mar 2013, pp 134 – 140.)
A poster – “Health Information Support Service to Empower Patients” has been presented at 14th EAHIL 2014 Conference 11-13 June, Rome, Italy.
Poster presented at CILIP HLG conference at Keele University, 13-15 June
Health Information Provision to Cardiology Outpatients
This is the extension of the Cardiology inpatients project, as per the recommendations made in the inpatients project report, strated in July 2015 during Lead Nurse Specialist clinic times.
Health information to Stroke Patients
The Library is also providing a service to stroke patients to equip patients and families with high quality stroke-related health and lifestyle information. It is being organized with stroke specialist nurse Ahlam Wynne following feedback from patients.
Information packs have been produced and included in discharge packs. Leaflet stands and notice boards in the stroke unit are being improved and regularly updated with information including health risk factors, exercise, diet, finances, and advice for carers.
To help stroke patients and their carers at West Middlesex Hospital a separate stroke point has been created on the library’s Health Information website with details about stroke services and local support.
