Canada Needs a National Network of Libraries for Health

Attention News/Health Editors:

National Network of Libraries for Health needed for equal access to health information

TORONTO, Feb. 26 /CNW/ - The mission of the Canadian Health Libraries Association / Association des bibliothèques de la santé du Canada (CHLA/ABSC) is to improve health and health care by promoting excellence in access to information. The Romanow Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada stated in its final report:

(Canadians need) "assurance that their health care providers
have access to complete information about their health, as well as
the latest information on health treatments, protocols and
guidelines."(1)

CHLA/ABSC has proposed the National Network of Libraries for Health to do just this. This important proposal aims to ensure that all health care providers have equal access to the best information for patient care. While the services proposed parallel those already available in many nations, the Network is designed to fit the Canadian health care model and fill in the information gaps inherent in a complex health delivery system.

Recently, this proposal was recognized in the national media reporting on the new plan for Canadian health care that was outlined in the 2003 First Ministers' Accord on Health Care Renewal:

"Another important initiative -- the electronic health records
scheme -- should be endorsed by many groups, including the Canadian
Health Libraries Association. In a 2001 written submission to
Mr. Romanow, the Association stated: 'There is no national, inter-
provincial or cross-jurisdictional coordinating body to ensure health
practitioners have cost-effective and universal access to the best
patient care and health research information."(2)(3)

CHLA/ABSC supports the development of an electronic health records scheme to enable efficient patient data collection and analysis. The Association suggests the enhancement of this new scheme with a National Network offering improved access to the knowledge health professionals need to interpret patient information and work with patients in making clinical decisions.

The National Network of Libraries for Health proposal will provide infrastructure and content both through partnerships and on its own. The infrastructure will bring together existing sources of knowledge for health professionals and organize the best information for easy access. National coordination will generate savings through standardization and enable economies of scale in purchasing electronic resources and implementing new services. It will ensure expert library personnel are available to train health professionals to locate the best information. It will make best advantage of new means of electronic publication and guarantee effective use of the Internet. CHLA/ABSC, a non-profit association, has a strong history of improving access to knowledge while reducing costs through national initiatives for resource sharing.

CHLA/ABSC is currently identifying partners and sponsors for this important project.

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(1) Commission on the Future of Health Care in Canada. Commission sur
l'avenir des soins de santé au Canada. Roy J. Romanow, Q.C.,
Commissioner. Building on Values: The Future of Health Care in
Canada - Final Report. (Saskatoon, Sask: the Commission, 2002), 89
(2) Ibid., 79.
(3) Tom Arnold. "Medicare changing dramatically: Governments commit:
Access to health care provider 24 hours a day, 7 days a week."
National Post, 6 February 2003, p. A6.

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For further information: please go to the CHLA/ABSC web site at http://www.chla-absc.ca, or contact Cathy Rayment, President, at president@chla-absc.ca.