Exploiting Knowledge in Health Services

The healthcare environment is changing and effective management of the knowledge base is integral to quality patient care. Information professionals in this sector need to adapt to the needs of an increasingly demanding user base. This comprehensive text aims to equip them with the necessary tools. This new book is not just a revised edition of the predecessor to this work, Managing Knowledge in Health Services, but a completely new book providing a snapshot of what health library and information professionals need to know now: this book will provide you with the knowledge and skills needed to deliver in today's demanding healthcare environment. With individual chapters contributed by leading edge practitioners focusing on issues of contemporary relevance, this essential book is structured around three logical divisions: Part 1 looks at the context within which healthcare is delivered and examines the different users who have access to the knowledge base; Part 2 outlines the principles underlying the way health information resources and services are organized and managed; Part 3 discusses the skills required to use the knowledge base effectively, including new filtering and evaluation techniques. Readership : This is a valuable book for all health library and information service providers and students in the field. It is also of great use to the increasing number of healthcare professionals, such as research and development coordinators and clinical effectiveness/governance facilitators, required to access health information as part of their working roles.