Lessons Learned: Reflection on Panel Reports Neil Rambo, Reflector Public Health Outreach Forum National Library of Medicine Lister Hill Auditorium Bethesda, Maryland

Assessing Information Needs Not a one-time exercise –Iterative –Both parties get better with practice & knowledge Needs related to making choices –Policy formulation –Intervention planning & implementation Synthesized & filtered knowledge Needs vary by work group & readiness

Assessing Information Needs, cont. Local health agencies may be more restrictive than academic environments Connectivity strategies –Direct funding –Funding opportunities –Technical assistance “Self serve” model may not be sufficient –E.g., intermediation, circuit rider

Objectives & Outcomes Objectives follow from assessing needs –If assessment is iterative, objectives need to be modifiable as understanding deepens Emphasis on technology or training Identify key players at site –Use them to identify & confirm –Advisors

Objectives etc., cont. Continued presence & communication Stay poised to alter course Outcomes –Raise awareness –Increase access –Affect use & effectiveness –Change in information seeking vs. performance

Web Resources Variety of techniques to identify relevant resources Local practitioners oriented toward state health dept. & CDC Local, local, local! National/state PH mega-portal (?) Top-down AND bottom-up content drive

Web Resources, cont. Consumer health information has a place in public health sites Need for customized “toolkits” –By work group –By HP2010 objective Need for integration with core sites

Partnerships Outreach is service –May be unidirectional –Can establish a relationship Partnerships require common needs, mutual goals, shared resources Communication!

Sustainability Outreach may not be –But it may still be worth doing Partnership is (by definition) May require different funding mechanisms

The Basics Are Easy Understanding the other party –Language –What they think & worry about –Information needs & uses Meeting them where they are –Technology infrastructure –Information skills

Making It Happen Isn’t Requires different skills –Communication –Community development Requires more investment –Staff –Time

Thank You Discussants and recorders Planners and organizers Key NLM staff Project PIs and workers