EBSCO Online Research Database

EBSCO Online Research Database

Think about the email you get on your smartphone--if you send, receive, or modify something, it will always be saved on the server for later access. This accessibility is a convenience that is spilling over into many professional fields, specifically the medical profession. With database technology, similar to what is used in your phone, EBSCO(1) created a way for the medical profession to share information a similar way.

For EBSCO, a medical professional can look up data about a patient, edit the information, and store it for later. Additionally EBSCO acts a server for multiple types of medical databases. These servers feature as patient educators, journal and magazine reporters, and a resource for point-of-care providers.

One of the most important features it offers is its ability to work in real time. Using its EMR (Electronic Medical Records) integration tools it “streamlines integration between EBSCO Publishing's online clinical, nursing care, patient education, and medical research resources and all Electronic Health/Medical Records (EHR/EMR), decision support and patient record applications.”(2) In laymen’s terms, this helps nurses, physical therapists, doctors, and pharmacist--among many others in the medical field-- to access and disseminate medical information as quickly and accurately as possible.

Many medical organizations use EBSCO, from small doctors offices to entire hospitals. Using a database to collect, store, and utilize data and information helps medical professionals with their day-to-day tasks. Additionally, EBSCO databases and servers helps medical professionals learn, teach, and research. This database is helping push the medical world into the future. This is because EBSCO stores journals, business reports, medical reports, patient information, historical research,e-books, and many other types of information. No longer will Doctors have to leave a patients bedside to look something up. They no longer have to second guess or rely sole on their memory--which can increase errors and medical malpractice. Doctor’s do not want to make the wrong call, EBSCO helps them to avoid this.

That is, for EBSCO, “Improving service quality and reducing medical errors are critical success factors for health care providers today.” (2) with accurate information about their patients, collected into one convenient location, health care providers are making less mistakes than ever. Additionally, they are also using on-the-go apps on mobile hardware like iPads and tablet PC’s (3). This creates an increased atmosphere of accessibility for medical professionals who use EBSCO.

However, just because the information is available doesn’t mean it is necessarily accessible. We have all used a search bar on a website to find that it was basically useless. But for EBSCO, understanding just how important Metadata is allows EBSCO’s search bar feature to provide accurate information to anyone who searches through their servers or on their database.

EBSCO provides the world with information and resources to accurately treat patients and evolve old practices into modern medicine (4). Without servers and databases like these, our information would be hard to share and teach. Though EBSCO has come a long way and is rated as one of the most helpful medical databases available for use, there are still features it needs and there are always ways which it can improve. As information systems go, we must never rest on our laurels, we must always try to improve.

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS

1. What Specific challenges does your database system implementation have?

EBSCO faces challenges with how it shares its medical information with different servers or a similar nature. Though, if it is compatible, it will allow easy access. If not, the system can become archaic and hard to use.

2. In what ways does it provide a competitive advantage for the organization using it?

Any organization which uses any of the services, information, and databases of EBSCO will see that they have a leg up over their competitors. They will have access to medical journals, up-to-date patient history, point-of-care assessments, newest drug information and this is only for the medical field. EBSCO also features information helpful for governments, business, hospitals, schools, k-12 schools, and public libraries. Additionally, information on “customers” is saved and properly managed with CRM technology. Also, they feature group sharing of information for anyone in your business and they offer mobile accessibility to their programs.

3.What improvements would you suggest?

Due to EBSCO offering so many different features, it was hard to research specifically what they did. I would recommend them having videos explaining everything in easy to understand language. However, wordage like they used is expected in a field inundated with jargon talk.


1. EBSCO - http://www.ebscohost.com/biomedical-libraries
2. EMR- http://www.ebscohost.com/pointOfCare/emr-integration
3. Apps- http://appsontap.wordpress.com/2012/06/20/accessing-ebsco-mobile/
4. Basic Research-- http://www.ebscohost.com/uploads/imported/thisTopic-dbTopic-840.pdf