The contribution of hospital library information services to clinical care: a study in eight hospitals.

Hospital health sciences libraries represent, for the vast majority of health professionals, the most accessible source for library information and services. Most health professionals do not have available the specialized services of a clinical medical librarian, and rely instead upon general information services for their case-related information needs. The ability of the hospital library to meet these needs and the impact of the information on quality patient care have not been previously examined. A study was conducted in eight hospitals in the Chicago area as a quality assurance project. A total of 176 physicians, nurses, and other health professionals requested information from their hospital libraries related to a current case or clinical situation. They then assessed the quality of information received, its cognitive value, its contribution to patient care, and its impact on case management. Nearly two-thirds of the respondents asserted that they would definitely or probably handle their cases differently as a result of the information provided by the library. Almost all rated the libraries' performance and response highly. An overview of the context and purpose of the study, its methods, selected results, limitations, and conclusions are presented here, as is a review of selected earlier research.

Screening for cystic fibrosis by died blood spot trypsin assay.

Immunoreactive trypsin was measured in dried blood specimens from 14,000 infants. A second test was performed in 0 . 2% of the population in whom blood trypsin levels were greater than 80 ng/ml. Five infants with cystic fibrosis were then detected, with only one case of persistent hypertrypsinaemia in whom this diagnosis could not be established. No false-negative test results have yet been identified. Seventeen infants with cystic fibrosis were tested inthe first 2 weeks of life, only one of whom had a blood trypsin concentration less than 80 ng/ml.

Sensitive trypsin assay for dried-blood specimens as a screening procedure for early detection of cystic fibrosis.

An immunoreactive-trypsin assay uses small dried-blood spots (diameter 1.25 mm) and is therefore suitable for incorporation in established neonatal screening schemes. Blood specimens from neonates with cystic fibrosis had trypsin levels greater than those in control subjects, thus confirming earlier findings. Trypsin levels were below normal in several older patients with cystic fibrosis.