Indian MEDLARS Centre (IMC) was set up in 1986, as a collaborative project between Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), New Delhi and National Informatics Centre (NIC), to provide biomedical information services from the MEDLARS databases of National Library of Medicine (NLM), USA. The Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval Systems (MEDLARS) have over 40 biomedical/health related databases amongst which MEDLINE (MEDLARS Online) is the largest and the most commonly used bibliographic database in the field of medicine.
The Background
In the beginning, information needs of the users were catered to from MEDLINE CDROM database and to some extent from Online searching of the database, directly from NLM. These services were expanded to include information services from Internet resources and CDROM databases as well as support services like providing of full-text of journal articles, training programmes and user-awareness programmes. IMC developed a database of peer reviewed Indian biomedical journals and it was developed keeping in view the poor coverage of Indian journals in international databases. At present, this database houses information from 76 journals from 1986 onwards. This IndMED database is a bibliographic database developed on the lines of the MEDLINE database using the concepts of both keyword as well free-text searching. A user-friendly search engine has been designed enabling the users to access the database using "Simple" or "Advanced" search modes.
Going the WWW Way !!
The Centre launched its webpage in August 2000 (http://indmed.nic.in), which caters specifically to the information needs of the medical researchers in India. There are innumerable webpages/portals that are targeting the needs of the medical practitioner or the consumer. IMC's page thus has been developed keeping in mind the needs of the researcher. Since its launch in 2000, the page has received a large number of hits and links to it feature in reputed international sites such as the Public Health Library, University of Berkeley, University of Portsmouth's Online Information Service and University Hospital Benjamin Franklin Medical Library (University of Berlin). The IndMED database has been accepted as a competing IT-project in the 2002 Stockholm Challenge Award (a prestigious IT award). The Google Directory has ranked the site amongst the top 5 Indian health websites. The site is ranked as "Excellent" by the Netscape Netcentre's Website Garage; this evaluation is done based on HTML design, Load Time, Browser Capabilities, content etc.
IMC's webpage provides an easy access to biomedical/health information available from IMC and from other biomedical Internet resources. The main features of the webpage are:
Access to IndMED database.
Live Chat (a special chat room for medical specialists)
Links to Internet biomedical / health resources (both for the professional and the consumer, nursing professionals, health librarians). This includes links to NLM's resources.
Links to medical journals available on the Internet.
Lectures by medical specialists
Details of IMC's services (databases, training, etc).
Web-enabled training BRS/SEARCH tutorial.
Downloadable Training Manual Search Request forms (which can be submitted directly from the webpage) as well as a feedback form
Links to Internet resources on diseases that are prevalent in the country (Malaria, Japanese Encephalitis, Hepatitis, Cholera and Typhoid).
Links to Biological/Chemical Warfare
A chat room has been created on NIC Chat server for medical specialists. Known as Live@IndMED this room would enable easy communication between specialists. A feature of the room also includes "Celebrity Chat" wherein doctors can chat with renowned medical experts.
With the launch of the webpage, IMC has been able to reach out to the users in the remotest areas of the country. Doctors, medical students and researchers can log on to the website and get the information they need right from their homes, offices or NIC State/District Centres. The page has been described as a "treasure trove" for the Indian medical researcher in the Economic Times of 10th March 2002.
The Indian MEDLARS Centre's website has also received tremendous recognition from international associations and has received awards both for its content and design. Partial list includes ...
Superior Resource Community Site Award" - Nu-Horizons Design Studio Best "Education site" - Site Design, USA. NSO Topsite Award - 2002 Bronze Neovizion Award Golden Web Award for 2002-2003 - International Association of Webmasters and Designers APC Web Development Excellence Award (for the IndMED search engine) Majon Web Select "SEAL OF EXCELLENCE AWARD"
Training
Training programmes are conducted in "Online Searching of Biomedical Information" for medical professional as well as for the NIC state centres' and district cetres' staff. These 5-day programmes include lectures as well as hands-on practice sessions and aim at helping the participants in effective searching of the MEDLINE database.
IMC also conducts special 2-3 days workshops on "Biomedical Resources and Internet" for medical professionals as well as medical library professionals. These workshops have been conducted at NIC offices in New Delhi, Pune, Bhubaneswar and Port Blair. The centre also organizes special teleconsultation sessions for doctors in North East and Sikkim using NIC's VC facilities and in these sessions medical specialists are invited to interact with these doctors.
With a clear aim to effectively meet the information needs of the professionals in the country. IMC plans to forge ahead of other health/biomedical websites by providing informative and concrete content to the target audience.
For further information, please contact Indian Medlars Centre, Bibiliographic Informatics Division National Informatics Centre A-Block, CGO Complex, Lodhi Road New Delhi-110003 :Tel No. 91-11-4362359 Email : medinfo@hub.nic.in