Summarized Research in Information Retrieval for HTA (SuRe Info)
Keeping up to date with
information retrieval research
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Patrice X. Chalon, Knowledge and Information Systems manager, Belgian Health Care Knowledge Centre (KCE)
SuRe Info Team

Outline
• Context
• History and vision
• Team and
collaboration tools
• Methodology
• Results
• Conclusion
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Reference: Ormstad SS, Isojärvi J. “Keeping up to date with information retrieval research: Summarized Research
in Information Retrieval (SuRe Info).”ournal of the European Association for Health Information and Libraries.
2013;9(2):17-19. Available at: http://www.eahil.eu/journal/journal_2013_vol9_n2.pdf
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lordspudz/7727396024/

CONTEXT
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Papers about information retrieval
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Staying up to date….
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HISTORY AND VISION
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November 2011
https://www.flickr.com/photos/nicopierce/5492971031/
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Reference
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Appraisal
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Chapter
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Chapter (cont.)
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Chapters
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TEAM AND
COLLABORATION TOOLS
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SuRe Info Team
Sari Ormstad,
NOKC, Norway
Jaana Isojärvi,
Finohta, Finland
Mick Arber, York Health
Economics Consortium, UK
Patrice Chalon,
KCE, Belgium
Sigrid Droste,
IQWiG, Germany
Steven Duffy, Kleijnen
Systematic Reviews Ltd, UK
Julie Glanville, York Health
Economics Consortium, UK
Su Golder,
CRD, UK
David Kaunelis,
CADTH, Canada
Carol Lefebvre, Lefebvre
Associates Ltd, UK
Kristin Bakke Lysdahl,
University of Oslo, Norway
Hannah Wood, York Health
Economics Consortium, UK
Kath Wright,
CRD, UK
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Free collaboration tools
Plan meetings
Share screen
Share documents
Share references
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METHODOLOGY
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Structure
General search methods
• Sources to search
– How many sources to search?
– Value of searching different
sources
– Value of searching for different
publication types/formats
– Service providers and search
interfaces
• Designing search strategies
– Strategy development
– Search filters
– Other limits: language, date
• Peer reviewing search
strategies
• Documenting and reporting
search process
Searching for specific
aspects of HTA
1. Health problem and current
use of technology
2. Description and technical
characteristics of technology
3. Safety
4. Diagnostic accuracy
5. Clinical effectiveness
6. Costs and economic
evaluation
7. Ethical analysis
8. Organizational aspects
9. Social aspects
10. Legal aspects
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Process
Two authors per chapter
Chapter authors can not write appraisals for their
own publications
Texts prepared by non-English speakers are
checked by an English speaker
We try to avoid duplication of work and re-
inventing the wheel
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Identification of studies
Use existing evidence-based
and personal resources
Run chapter specific search
strategies in selected
relevant databases
Hand-searching relevant
journals
Set up alerts for prospective
identification of evidence
•Cochrane Handbook’s Searching for studies chapters
•HTA Core Model handbooks
•Search in the Cochrane Methodology Register
•Our own reference databases
•Cinahl
•Embase
•Lisa
•Lista
•Medline / PubMed
•Web of Knowledge
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Selection criteria
Inclusion criteria Exclusion criteria
1. Duplicate publications, previous
publications associated with the
same study or project, and letters
or comments to the editor will be
linked to the related publication.
2. Individual studies or reviews
presented and assessed in other
evidence-based collections (such
as the InterTASC Information
Specialists' Sub-Group – ISSG -
Search Filter Resource), will not be
included. A link or a citation to the
resource rather than the individual
studies will then be provided.
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1. The research question is relevant to information
retrieval for HTA and the SuRe Info chapter in
which it is to be included.
2. The publication provides latest evidence on a
specific methodological issue.
3. The publication includes research findings of a
completed scientific study (including reviews,
evidence syntheses and theses).
4. The publication describes the scientific methods
used in the study.
5. The research findings are still valid, i.e. have
not been overtaken by technological or database
changes.
6. The conclusions are supported by the
presented results and the results answer the
research question.
7. The results of the publication are generalizable
or usable to other HTA information specialists
or transferable to other projects or studies.

Appraisal
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Category Examples of keyword
A. Where the research paper explores the value of a
publication type to HTA or investigates how to
identify publication types one or more of the
following index terms can be applied to the record.
Databases, grey literature,…
B. Designing strategies where the general principles
are described
General
C. Designing strategies: specific (more than one may be
applied to each record)
Controlled vocabulary, keywords,
proximity operators, …
D. Other issues related to information retrieval
research for HTA
Search filters, Peer reviewing, …
E. Categories reflecting the elements which may be
addressed within an HTA (more than one may be
applied to each record)
Safety, ethics, ….
F. Study design (using MeSH headings) Clinical Trials, Phase III, Multicenter
Studies, …
G. Topic area (using MeSH headings) Health occupations (Nursing,
Pharmacology, …), Disease areas
(Bacterial infections and mycoses,
Cardiovascular diseases, …)…
Classification
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RESULTS
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34 Appraisals
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7 Published chapters
Search filters
Health problem
and current use
of technology
Description and
technical
characteristics
of technology
Safety
Diagnostic
accuracy
Costs and
economic
evaluation
Legal aspects
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4 chapters in preparation
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Clinical effectiveness
Ethical analysis
Organizational aspects
Social aspects

CONCLUSION
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SuRe Info aims to…
Contribute to an evidence-based
information retrieval practice
Serve as a common platform for
HTA information specialists in
different countries
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SuRe Info is SuRe Info is not
 A methods
handbook
 A comprehensive
bibliography
containing all
published research
evidence
 An free online
resource
 A selection of up-to-
date methods
papers presented
through
summarized
overviews
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SuRe Info can be used...
To keep up-to-date with
information retrieval research
To provide an overview of current
evidence to those new to the field
of information retrieval for
systematic reviews and health
technology assessments
To find current evidence when
updating search guidance of
methods handbooks
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Divided we fall… United we inform !
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Thank you!
http://www.sure-info.org
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