Medical E-Reference: A Benchmark for E-Reference Publishing in Other Disciplines

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Abstract

Electronic medical information retrieval systems and reference sources were some of the first discipline-specific e-resources to be developed, due to physicians’ need to access the most current and relevant clinical information as quickly as possible. Many medical publishers and information aggregators have been incorporating the features their users demand for years. Thus, medical e-reference publishing could serve as a benchmark for e-reference publishing in other fields. Yet medical e-reference is not without its challenges. Today’s physicians and medical students expect immediate and user-friendly electronic access to media rich and value added clinical references, particularly via their mobile devices. Publishers, librarians, and network administrators will need to ensure that mobile information sources users demand are discoverable and easy to access and use, even in healthcare environments where increased data security is necessary.