Are you involved in patient care? Do you find it challenging to keep up to date with the latest clinical information related to COVID-19? You can use point-of-care tools at the bedside to check the best available evidence about diseases and conditions, including COVID-19.
A point-of-care tool is a digital reference resource designed to help with clinical decision making. Evidence within a point-of-care tool is appraised and synthesized from various sources, and updated frequently to ensure currency, reliability and accuracy. These tools can be used on desktop computers or mobile devices, with some available for use offline.
Through Library Services, Nova Scotia Health staff, physicians and learners have access to several point-of-care tools. This post outlines how to use BMJ Best Practice and Isabel to find clinical information related to COVID-19.
BMJ Best Practice
BMJ Best Practice is an evidence-based generalist point-of-care tool uniquely structured around the patient consultation, with advice on symptom evaluation, test ordering and treatment approach. BMJ Best Practice includes 1,000+ evidence-based condition and symptom topics across 32 clinical specialties.
TIP BMJ Best Practice is most useful when you have a specific disease or condition, such as COVID-19, that you want to learn more about.
To access the desktop version, visit Library Services’ Databases A-Z page and click on ‘BMJ Best Practice’ from the list. Information about downloading and installing the mobile app can be found here.
Finding COVID-19 evidence in BMJ Best Practice (desktop version)
- In the search bar at the top of the homepage, type in ‘COVID’. From the predictive text that appears, click on ‘COVID-2019’.
- You will be directed to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) page. You can use the menu at the top of the page to navigate through sections such as Overview, Diagnosis and Management.
- To view a customized treatment regime for COVID-19 based on a patient’s comorbidities, click on ‘Treatment algorithm’ from the top menu.
- Select the applicable comorbidities from the list and click on ‘Show treatment algorithm’.
- You can then navigate through the step-by-step treatment recommendations.
Isabel
Isabel is a web-based diagnosis checklist system. Enter the patient’s age, gender, and signs and symptoms, and Isabel instantly returns a list of possible diagnoses.
TIP Isabel is most useful when there is no clear diagnosis for a set of symptoms.
To access both the desktop and mobile versions, visit Library Services’ Databases A-Z page and click on ‘Isabel’ from the list.
Entering a patient’s clinical features in Isabel (desktop version)
- In the Clinical features box on the left-hand side of the homepage, select the patient’s age, gender at birth and travel history.
- Enter the patient’s abnormal clinical features (symptoms) by typing and clicking on the appropriate choices from the predictive text that appears. For example, sore throat, headache and runny nose.
- Click on ‘Get Checklist’.
- Potential diagnoses based on the clinical features entered will appear as a list in the Checklist box. For example, Coronavirus. Click on the + to the left of ‘Coronavirus’ to expand the section.
- Click on ‘COVID-19’ for information about the topic.
- From the menu on the left, you can navigate through various resources, including BMJ Best Practice, for evidence related to COVID-19.
For more support with COVID-19 evidence or point-of-care tools, reach out to us at AskLibrary@nshealth.ca or book a consultation with a Library Services staff member.
Kristy Hancock
Librarian Educator
Ring in the new year with the latest must-have pathology and laboratory medicine books recommended by Doody’s Review Service, an authoritative medical book review system. The best part: it won’t cost you a dime! The ebooks below are all available to you online through Nova Scotia Health Library Services.
Visit our catalogue to see all available pathology and laboratory ebook titles. Remember, you can access our ebooks and other electronic resources from anywhere, anytime!
Questions? Email AskLibrary@nshealth.ca or book a consult with a library staff member.
Lana MacEachern
Library Technician
Aberdeen Regional Hospital, Northern Zone