Information Needs and Barriers to Accessing Electronic Information: Hospital-Based Physicians Compared to Primary Care Physicians

Abstract

This article focuses on the information needs of physicians in the UK; the frequency physicians formulate questions and then search the literature electronically; physicians' use of information technology (IT) and their desire to use such equipment; physicians' preferences in locating evidence; and perceived barriers to accessing electronic information to assist in clinical decision making. Physicians working in the hospital environment are compared to those who work in primary care. Data for this study were gathered using an online questionnaire.

Keywords:

• computers
• database searches
• electronic health information
• Internet
• literature searches
• medical informatics
• physicians