1. A Librarian by Any Other Name
The Role of the Informationist on a
Medical School Research Team

2. Presenters
Sally A. Gore, MS, MS LIS
Research Librarian & Informationist
Lamar Soutter Library
University of Massachusetts Medical School
Mary E. Costanza, MD
Principal Investigator
Professor of Medicine
University of Massachusetts Medical School

3. The Informationist
Librarian
Expert in health information
resources
• Collection development
• General reference
assistance
• Instruction
• Searching assistance
Informationist
Expert in health information resources
and extensive domain knowledge
• Consultation services
• Database training
• Systematic review
• Knowledge management
• Writing

4. These new professionals might be called
informationists (not a graceful term, but one
that parallels such terms as gastroenterologists
or hospitalists), or clinical knowledge workers
(in parallel with social workers).
A Little History
the big picture

5. A Little History
at UMMS
• A Funding Opportunity
• A Chance to Expand
Service
• Finding Collaborators
• Making it Happen

6. The Grant
Promoting Breast Cancer Screening in
Non-Adherent Women
A five year (2009-14) clinical research project funded
by the National Institutes of Health.
A large controlled trial of women in a local health plan
ages 40-84 randomized to 1 of 3 ways to improve
getting mammograms regularly every 1-2 years

7. Promoting Breast Cancer Screening in
Non-Adherent Women
+
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GOAL OF THE STUDY:
To assess the cost-effectiveness of each arm in improving:
a. Mammogram scheduling
b. Mammogram completion
c. Self-efficacy in repeating mammogram

8. • Large data sets to handle
• Multiple data sources
• Multiple investigators
• Confusion among data sources re variable
definitions and names
• Need to improve communication among
investigators
• Need for categorizing, creating taxonomies,
clarifying data collection inconsistencies
Why an Informationist?
The Collaborator’s View

9. • Grant requirements for an embedded
informationist
• Review of „mother‟ grant needs
• Description of informationist‟s training and
strengths
• Consultations with library seniority
• Consultations with co-investigators
• Iteration of multiple drafts
• Submission of grant application
Writing the Grant Proposal
step one

10. • Informationist should be a colleague
• Share in discussion of progress of „mother‟ grant
• Assist in analyzing data
• Participate in writing and publishing team
manuscripts
• Meet with team regularly
Writing the Grant ProposalWriting the Grant Proposal
step two

11. SUCCESS!!
Grant Funding:
September 2012 – January 2014
Supporting 20% of Informationist‟s Time (10
hrs/wk)

12. We Begin
• Introduce Informationist to team members
• Meet with individual key members of team
• Participation at weekly team meetings
• Review ongoing reports from analyst(s)
• Extricate Informationist from on-going library
duties

13. • UMass Medical School
– Family & Community
Medicine
• Principal Investigator
• Project Director
• Scheduler, Counselor Instructor
• Administrative Secretary
– Medicine
• Principal Investigator
• Behavioral Psychologist
– Biostatistics
• Biostatistician
• Analyst
– Center for Health Policy &
Research
• Director, Expert in Cost
Analysis
• Research Assistant
– Library
• Informationist
• Fallon Community Health
Plan
– Claims Data Representative
• Reliant Medical Group
– Research Director
– Research Coordinator
– Site Project Director
– Analyst
– IT Guru
– Chief of Radiology
– Phone Counselors
– Phone Schedulers
– Primary Care Physicians
• Claricode
– Programmer
The Team

14. Progress to Date
the informationist
• AIM 1: Improve effectiveness and efficiency of
communication w/in team regarding data
• AIM 2: Articulate technology issues related to
implementation of the study
• AIM 3: Enhance information organization,
management, utilization, and access skills of
team members
• AIM 4: Assess value of an informationist to the
research team

15. Progress to Date
the team
Study began Jan. 2009
• Slowly winning battle with:
• tracking system glitches
• collating multiple data sources
• miscommunication re variable names and definitions
• 40,000 women on study
• 4,500 reminder letters sent
• 1,000 Wave 2 “Booster” reminder letters sent

16. Lessons Learned
so far…
• Need cooperative players
• Need buy-in from research team
• Earlier imbedding on team to improve research
efforts
• Optimum: join team early and help write „mother‟
grant
• Increase covered Informationist‟s time
• Be realistic about decreasing library
commitments

17. The Future of Informationists
Sally‟s Thoughts
Graduate programs MUST
change
Research is NOT optional
Soft skills need to be
recognized
Role isn‟t always for librarians
Mary‟s Thoughts
Days of a single PI are over
Complex clinical studies
have huge data bases from
many data sources
Clear communication
among investigators critical
Informationists can provide
a team with conceptual
cohesion
Hmmmm…