The impact of clinical librarian services on patients and health care organisations

Brettle, AJ; Maden, M; Payne, C

Abstract

Background - Systematic reviews have found limited evidence of effectiveness and impact of clinical librarians (CLs) due to the poor quality of reporting, scale and design of previous studies.
Objectives - To measure specific CL impact on organisational and patient outcomes using a robust approach that helps CLs develop research skills.
Methods: Questionnaire and interviews, based on the Critical Incident Technique.
Results – CLs contribute to a wide range of outcomes in the short and longer term reflecting organisational priorities and objectives. Based on 340 critical incidents, these include direct contributions to choice of intervention (36%) diagnosis (26%) quality of life (25%), increased patient involvement in decision making (26%) and cost savings and risk management including avoiding tests, referrals, readmissions and reducing length of stay (28%).
Discussion – Interventions provided by CL’s are complex and each contributes to multiple outcomes of importance to health care organisations.
Conclusion - This study is unique in taking a wide view of potential and specific impacts to which CLs contribute across health care organisations. It is the largest UK evaluation of CL services to date and demonstrates CLs affect direct patient care, improve quality and save money. Future researchers are urged to use the tools presented to collect data on the same outcomes to build a significant and comprehensive international evidence base about the effectiveness and impact of clinical librarian services.

Citation

Brettle, A., Maden, M., & Payne, C. (2016). The impact of clinical librarian services on patients and health care organisations. Health Information and Libraries Journal, 33(2), 100-120. https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12136

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jan 7, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Feb 17, 2016
• Publication Date: May 11, 2016
• Deposit Date: May 24, 2016
• Journal: Health Information & Libraries Journal
• Print ISSN: 1471-1834
• Electronic ISSN: 1471-1842
• Publisher: Wiley
• Volume: 33
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 100-120
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/hir.12136
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/hir.12136
• Related Public URLs: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1471-1842