Harvesting relevant research Finding the existing evidence base is a prerequisite to implementing evidence, however searching for this evidence is difficult. Flinders University is home to this innovative research programme, led by Jennifer Tieman in collaboration with Dr Ruth Sladek, around improving harvesting of current research from bibliographic databases such as Medline. "Search filters" are predetermined literature search strategies, developed using an explicit methodology and tested using a gold standard test comparison study design, borrowed from epidemiological research. They provide a standardised and systematic approach to identifying citations about a particular topic, with known performance parameters. Whilst filters are developed using an index database such as Medline, they can be translated for use in other databases such as PubMed. In the case of PubMed, this means that a filter can be saved as a URL, thus providing widespread, immediate and real time access to a highly performing literature search. This capacity for ready implementation provides a demonstration project of evidence based practice. The evidence about how to best search for a topic (ie, the filter) is implemented by imbedding it into a URL. Two filters have been developed using alternative methodologies, with several others under development. Click the links below to run these filters in PubMed. A demonstration of how these filters can be implemented and used in an online environment is available at the CareSearch palliative knowledge network. ¹ Sladek R, Tieman J, Fazekas BS, Abernethy A, Currow DC. (2006). Development of a subject search filter to find information relevant to palliative care in the general medical literature. J Med Libr Assoc; 94(4):394-401. ²Damarell RA, Tieman J, Sladek RM, Davidson PM. Development of a heart failure filter for Medline: an objective approach using evidence-based clinical practice guidelines as an alternative to hand searching. (2011). BMC Medical Res Method;11:12. Key contacts Jennifer Tieman |
