Pediatric Informatics: Computer Applications in Child Health (Health ...

10 Evidence-Based Medicine and Pediatrics 143
Podcasting is a popular way of distributing video or audio programs for use
on mobile devices (e.g. Apple iPod ® or cell phones). Subscribers can be
automatically alerted to updates when new content is available for download. 49
Podcasts are being used by many universities, professional societies, nonprofit
organizations and government agencies are using to provide CME, news
bulletins and other updates.
Handheld computers, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and cell phones are combining
online and information technologies which now include complete textbooks,
medical calculators, and journal subscriptions. Increasingly digital information is
being made available in formats for mobile computing. Examples include: the AAP
Red Book ® and mobilePDR . A good source for handheld evidence resources for
pediatricians is Pediatrics On Hand (http://www.pediatricsonhand.com). 50
10.7 EBM and the Future
10.7.1 Communities of Practice
Translation of research into practice and the development of evidence requires
communication and interaction of researchers, clinicians, and tools that disseminate
knowledge. Information technology facilitates these connections by allowing users
to overcome time and space limitations. In addition to some of the functions discussed,
IT has empowered the growth of communities of practice in pediatrics (and
other fields). A community of practice is defined as a “group of people who share
the same concern or passion for something they do and learn how to do it better as
they interact regularly.” 30
One pediatric community is in pediatric critical care. PedsCCM: The Pediatric
Critical Care Website (http://pedsccm.wustl.edu) has been in existence for 10 years
and is a multidisciplinary information source which includes clinical resources, usable
bibliographies, and critically appraised journal reviews contributed by its members.
Another pediatric community is in pediatric education. PediatricEducation.org©
(www.pediatriceducation.org) is a chronologically-organized, case-based pediatric
digital library and learning collaboratory supporting pediatricians by answering
common questions and supporting inquiry into related topics. Currently, there are over
200 cases covering all age ranges and specialties. 51 Future enhancements will include
implementation of CME and expansion of the learning community of practice.
10.7.2 The Special Needs of Incorporating Evidence
into Pediatric Practice
When considering the impact of evidence-based care on pediatric outcomes of
children: