Lessons Learned:

Reflection on Panel Reports

Neil Rambo, ReflectorPublic Health

Outreach Forum

National Library of MedicineLister Hill Auditorium Bethesda, Maryland

Assessing Information Needs

• Not a one-time exercise– Iterative– Both parties get better with practice &

knowledge

• Needs related to making choices– Policy formulation– Intervention planning & implementation

• Synthesized & filtered knowledge

• Needs vary by work group & readiness

Assessing Information Needs, cont.

• Local health agencies may be more restrictive than academic environments

• Connectivity strategies– Direct funding– Funding opportunities– Technical assistance

• “Self serve” model may not be sufficient– E.g., intermediation, circuit rider

Objectives & Outcomes

• Objectives follow from assessing needs– If assessment is iterative, objectives need

to be modifiable as understanding deepens

• Emphasis on technology or training

• Identify key players at site– Use them to identify & confirm– Advisors

Objectives etc., cont.

• Continued presence & communication• Stay poised to alter course• Outcomes

– Raise awareness– Increase access– Affect use & effectiveness– Change in information seeking vs.

performance

Web Resources

• Variety of techniques to identify relevant resources

• Local practitioners oriented toward state health dept. & CDC

• Local, local, local!

• National/state PH mega-portal (?)

• Top-down AND bottom-up content drive

Web Resources, cont.

• Consumer health information has a place in public health sites

• Need for customized “toolkits”– By work group– By HP2010 objective

• Need for integration with core sites

Partnerships

• Outreach is service– May be unidirectional– Can establish a relationship

• Partnerships require common needs, mutual goals, shared resources

• Communication!

Sustainability

• Outreach may not be– But it may still be worth doing

• Partnership is (by definition)

• May require different funding mechanisms

The Basics Are Easy

• Understanding the other party– Language– What they think & worry about– Information needs & uses

• Meeting them where they are– Technology infrastructure– Information skills

Making It Happen Isn’t

• Requires different skills– Communication– Community development

• Requires more investment– Staff– Time

Thank You

• Discussants and recorders

• Planners and organizers

• Key NLM staff

• Project PIs and workers