[Electronic medical handbooks--are they suitable for implementation of guidelines in health care?].
BACKGROUND
The Directorate for Health and Social Affairs commissioned a project to evaluate the distribution and use of a Norwegian electronic medical handbook (NEL).


METHODS
NEL uses multimedia techniques and is distributed on a CD twice a year. A questionnaire about the use of NEL was given to 91 medical students. Health professionals at two hospitals and 12 health centres were interviewed.


RESULTS
The use of the electronic handbook differed more within than between groups of professionals. NEL is applied for three main purposes: decision support, quality assurance and as a source for information pamphlets designed for patients. The professionals believed that NEL has contributed to patients' receiving more information and more uniform treatment. Criticism was made about the price and for the lack of integration with the electronic patient record.


CONCLUSIONS
The study has revealed some barriers to implementation and use of electronic information sources. Under certain circumstances an electronic handbook might be suitable way for authorities and others to distribute professional guidelines.
Grimsmo
Anders
A
Norsk senter for elektronisk pasientjournal, Medisinsk-teknisk forskningssenter, Norges teknisk-naturvitenskapelige universitet, 7489 Trondheim. anders.grimsmo@ntnu.no
D016251:CD-ROM; D020000:Decision Support Systems, Clinical; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007256:Information Systems / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D019212:Multimedia; D009664:Norway; D010820:Physicians; D018794:Problem-Based Learning; D013337:Students, Medical; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires