The Embedded Librarian in a Telehealth Continuing Medical Education Program

ABSTRACT

This article outlines the involvement of a librarian in an innovative telehealth continuing medical education (CME) program, ECHO Ontario Chronic Pain/Opioid Stewardship (ECHO Ontario Chronic Pain). Survey and focus group data have suggested that embedding a librarian as a member of an interprofessional education program has added value to the program. The embedded librarian (EL) enhanced the program’s ability to share best practices and reduce variations in care by providing accessible, high quality, evidence-based information to members of the ECHO Ontario Chronic Pain community where it may not otherwise have been received. An outline of the ECHO model and the role of the EL, data and a discussion of the role the EL are presented.

KEYWORDS:

• Chronic pain
• continuing medical education
• hospital librarian
• rehabilitation
• Telehealth

Acknowledgments

Thank you to all members of ECHO Ontario Chronic Pain/Opioid Stewardship for support, feedback and contributions and to the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and University Health Network for making this work possible.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the ECHO Ontario Chronic Pain/Opioid Stewardship. Funding for this work was provided in-kind by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care and UHN Library & Information Services.