Study On The Clinicians' Burden Of Information In General Hospital

ObjectiveThis study was aimed to understand the clinicians'information needs, information capabilities, the current and expected solutions encountered by the information barriers, and the information services utilization of hospital library. To explore the relationship between information burden and information needs information capabilities and information services. To put forward some practical measures to reduce clinicians'burden of information.MethodsLiterature research method was used in this study to summarize and analyze the domestic and international research situation of information burden, which was made to provide theoretical support and reference for this study. The field survey method and mathematical statistics method were utilized to understand clinicians'information needs, information capabilities, the current and expected solutions encountered by the information barriers, and the information services utilization of hospital library. Finally, researching methods such as insider interviews, panel discussions were utilized to put forward practical countermeasures to reduce clinicians'burden of information.Results(1)The situation of information needs: 60.7% of clinicians have a lot of pressure on their research work, and the pressure was increased with the rise of age, education and the professional title, P_age = 0.000, r_age= 0.299, P_degree=0.000, r_degree=0.381,P_{professional title}=0.000, r_{professional title} =0.274. The clinicians need to search the information mainly through the professional database to obtain large amount of clinical and scientific research information, 26.1% of clinicians were not satisfied for the results of information retrieval, and 0% of clinicians could meet their information needs within the work hours.(2)The situation of information capabilities: 100% of clinicians considered that the information capabilities were important. However, the information capabilities they mastered could not fully meet the information needs. 18.2% of clinicians, over the age of 45, handled the poor computer skill and network knowledge. With the age growing, the capabilities of information analysis and tracking improve, P_analysis=0.043, r_analysis=0.153, P_tracking=0.025, r_tracking=0.175. With the degree rising, the capabilities of information searching, analysis and tracking improve, P_retrieval =0.009, r_retrieval =0.183, P_analysis=0.001, r_analysis=0.243, P_tracking=0.001, r_tracking=0.257. With the professional title rising, the capabilities of information analysis and tracking improve, P_analysis=0.037, r_analysis=0.154, P_tracking=0.001, r_tracking=0.245.(3) The situation of current solutions encountered by the information barriers. About 70% of clinicians preferred to solve the problem by themselves facing the information barriers. There are significant difference from different ages about the obstacles of information retrieval, analysis and tracking, P_retrieval =0.000, P_analysis=0.004, P_tracking=0.000. When the clinicians (>45 years old) encountered by the obstacles in information retrieval, 50% of them preferred to solve the problem by themselves, which was the lowest proportion. When the clinicians (>45 years old) encountered by the obstacles in information analysis and tracking, 40% of them preferred to ask for assistance from others and professional institute, which was the highest proportion. There are significant difference from different degrees about the obstacles of information retrieval, analysis and tracking, P_retrieval =0.002, P_analysis=0.002, P_tracking=0.002. When clinicians with Bachelor Degree were encountered by obstacles in information tracking, 37.1% of them preferred to seek help from professional institute, which was the highest proportion. Clinicians with Doctor Degree were encountered by obstacles in information retrieval; 2.0% of them preferred to ask the professional institute for assistance, which was the lowest proportion. There are significant difference from different professional titles about the obstacles of information retrieval and tracking, P_retrieval =0.000, P_tracking=0.002. When the clinicians with the highest professional title encountered by the obstacles in information retrieval, 45.5% of them preferred to solve the problem by themselves, which was the lowest proportion. 54.5% of them preferred to solve the problem by themselves, which was the highest proportion.(4) The situation of expected solutions encountered by the information barriers: When the clinicians encountered by the obstacles in information retrieval, 55.5% of them preferred to solve the problem by themselves, which was the highest proportion, and 54.1% of clinicians preferred to solve the problem by themselves, when them encountered by the obstacles in information analysis and tracking, which was the highest proportion.(5) The information services utilization of hospital library: only 15.2% of clinicians were very satisfied with the information services of hospital library. The most services of the hospital library were such as reference, inter-library loan, and so on.Conclusion(1) Clinicians have large amount of information needs. However, the busy work takes up most of the working hours, some spare time was occupied to meet the information needs, so there are burden of time on clinicians.(2) Because of the lack of information capabilities, clinicians often fall into the embarrassing situation, there are burden of time on clinicians.(3) 69%-78% of Clinicians preferred to solve the problem by themselves when they encountered by the information barriers. It is related with the clinicians'trust on the professional information institute, the characteristics of the information institute services and information services utilization of hospital library. In reducing the burden of information, they are willing to accept the information services supplied by the professional institute.(4) The meaning of information burden of clinicians is as follows: the clinicians should bear a great information pressure, their information capabilities could not fully meet the information needs, and they could not meet the information needs within the work hours. When the information capacities and work time is beyond the clinicians'tolerance range, and affect the quality of work and life, we can view it as the burden of information.(5) Age, education, and professional title are the main factors of the clinicians'information burden. There are quite different on clinicians'information sense, information needs, information capabilities, and some other things.(6) There are two ways could effectively reduce clinicians'information burden, the one is improving the clinicians'information capabilities Through training and other ways, the other one is establishing the subject librarian system in hospital library.