Delivering Biomedical Information Services In FY10, NLM expanded the quantity and range of high quality information available to researchers, health professionals, and the public, including significant expansion in social media and open data initiatives via API access. Among the NLMs intramural programs that contribute to its national biomedical information services are the following examples: PubMed/MEDLINE: PubMed, which incorporates MEDLINE, is NLMs premier bibliographic database with over 20 million references to biomedical journal articles. MEDLINE articles are indexed by experts using the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) controlled vocabulary, updated annually. In FY10, more than 800,000 new indexed citations were added, plus 60,000 historical citations from 1947. PubMed Central: The PubMed Central archive of now over 2 million full-text journal articles is central to the NIH effort to make accessible the published results of research it supports. In FY10, NLM continued to enhance the NIH Manuscript Submission system by which authors submit articles to comply with the NIH Public Access Policy. MyBibliography was implemented to help NIH-funded scientists manage their publications. MedlinePlus and MedlinePlus en espaol: These resources include consumer health information on more than 800 topics, in more than 40 languages. In FY10, the Web site was redesigned to improve usability and mobile access was added via Mobile MedlinePlus. MedlinePlus Connect, scheduled for general release in Fall 2010, connects electronic health records to MedlinePlus drug information and health topics by leveraging standardized codes and vocabularies required for meaningful use. Clinical Trials: ClinicalTrials.gov covers more than 95,000 clinical research studies in more than 170 countries, with hundreds added each week. It was significantly expanded to respond to new clinical trial registration and results reporting requirements established by the FDA Amendments Act of 2007 (PL 110-85). In FY10, nearly 16,000 trials were registered. Since NLM implemented the results database required by law in September 2008, summary results of more than 3200 clinical trials have been added. Summaries of adverse events that occurred during the trial became mandatory in September 2009. Toxicology and Environmental Health: Toxicology Data Network (TOXNET) is a primary reference for toxicologists, poison control centers, public health administrators, physicians and other environmental health professionals, and includes databases such as TOXLINE, GENE-TOX, the Toxic Release Inventory, and the Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB). In FY10, nanomaterials were added to HSDB. Drug Information Resources: NLMs drug information resources include DailyMed and Pillbox. DailyMed provides medication content and labeling information from medical package inserts for more than 10,000 marketed drugs. Pillbox enables rapid identification of unknown solid-dosage medications based on physical characteristics and high-resolution images. Both are linked to RxNorm standard drug names. Disaster Preparedness and Response: NLMs Disaster Information Management Research Center facilitates access to disaster information, promotes effective use of libraries and disaster information specialists for disaster management, and supports initiatives to ensure uninterrupted access to critical health information resources when disasters occur. A collaboration with the Bethesda Hospital Emergency Preparedness Partnership provides backup communication systems and tools for patient tracking, information access, and responder training. In FY10, specialized resources for earthquakes and oil spills were developed, including the Haiti Earthquake People Locator, an interactive re-unification tool. Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, and Human Genome Resources: NCBI information resources include more than 40 integrated molecular biology databases and bioinformatics software tools such as GenBank, Entrez, BLAST, RefSeq, UniGene, LocusLink, Genomes, and the NCBI software toolkit. NCBI also produces the retrieval systems for PubMed, PubMed Central, and the Books database. Continuing areas of emphasis in FY10 included addressing the impact of enormous quantities of data emanating from high throughput sequencing, microarray, and small molecule screening techniques;organizing data from large-scale clinical studies involving genotyping;and enhancing database interfaces to facilitate search and discovery across multiple resources. Outreach: Promoting Public Awareness and Access Consumer health websites and the NIH MedlinePlus Magazine, in English and Spanish, transmit the latest useful research findings in lay language. In FY10, distribution of the magazine increased to more than 600,000, with additional access via online versions. Special population websites address specific minority health concerns in various racial and ethnic groups. NLM outreach programs enhance awareness of its information services, with emphasis on. underserved populations, including African American, Hispanic, and Native American communities, as well as health professionals serving minority populations and practicing in rural and inner city communities. In FY10, dozens of community-based projects were funded. Health Services Research NICHSR promotes access to public health and health services research through such information systems as: HSRProj, a database of more than 8000 health services research projects from more than 110 funding organizations;HSRR, a database of research datasets, instruments and software relevant to health services research;and HSTAT, a full-text database of high quality evidence reports, guidelines, technology assessments, consensus statements, and treatment protocols. Structured search queries are developed to aid in searching PubMed, ClinicalTrials.gov, and HSRProj for information on health services research, comparative effectiveness, health disparities, and HealthyPeople 2010 objectives. Advanced Information Systems, Data Standards and Research Tools In FY10, LHC and NCBI continued to conduct research in biomedical informatics and computational biology, tested the effectiveness of medical informatics interventions, and developed new scientific computing tools. To cite a few examples, intramural researchers developed tools that support standards-based personal health records;extended the use of digital pen technology for community-based research in Africa;applied natural language processing methods to extract information from biomedical literature;improved standardized reporting of genetic variations and clinical interpretation of genetic test results;and designed improved methods for integrated search and discovery across multiple databases. Health Data Standards: As the central coordinating body for clinical terminology standards within DHHS, NLM supports nationwide implementation of an interoperable health information technology infrastructure. NLM develops or licenses key clinical terminologies and problem lists designated as standards for U.S. health information exchange. The Unified Medical Language System Metathesaurus, with more than 9.9 million concept names from more than 125 vocabularies, is a distribution mechanism for standard code sets and vocabularies used in health data systems. NLM also produces RxNorm, a standard clinical drug vocabulary;supports the LOINC nomenclature for laboratory tests and patient observations;and promotes international adoption of the SNOMED CT clinical terminology. In FY10, NLM produced a common lab test subset and added the VAs drug classes to RxNorm.
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