McMaster Premium Literature Service (PLUS): an evidence-based medicine information service delivered on the Web.
BACKGROUND
Evidence-based medicine (EBM) attempts to narrow the gap between knowledge and practice, but ready access to evidence-based resources remains a challenge to practicing physicians.


OBJECTIVE
To describe a new, EBM information delivery service, its trial design, and baseline data.


METHODS
McMaster PLUS (Premium Literature Service), composed of a continuously updated database and web-based interface, delivers scientifically rigorous and clinically relevant research literature matched to individual physicians' clinical interests. A cluster randomized controlled trial is currently underway, comparing 2 versions of the PLUS system.


RESULTS
As of Feb 2005, the PLUS database contained over 5700 scientifically sound, clinically relevant articles, published from 2001 to present. 68% of articles have full text links. Over 200 physicians in Northern Ontario have been randomized to one of 2 PLUS interfaces.


CONCLUSIONS
McMaster PLUS has been designed to aid physicians to home in on high quality research that is highly relevant and important to their own clinical practice.
Holland
Jennifer
J
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Haynes
R Brian
RB
D019992:Databases as Topic; D034742:Electronic Mail; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D007255:Information Services; D016247:Information Storage and Retrieval; D020407:Internet; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic