Embase began in 1946 as Excerpta Medica, founded to provide medical abstracts. It was acquired by Elsevier in 1971 and became available online in 1978. Key developments included introducing a controlled vocabulary called Emtree in 1987 and adding item types and check tags for evidence-based medicine in 1990. Currently, Embase indexes articles in great depth using natural language and extensively covers drugs and devices. The taxonomy Emtree is regularly updated to reflect new terms.

1. Embase: a short history
Dr. Ian Crowlesmith
Senior Product Manager for Content Development
i.crowlesmith@elsevier.com
MLA Toronto, May 17, 2016

2. Embase : a short history

3. Excerpta Medica 1946
Embase 2016

4. Embase 2016
Excerpta Medica 1946

5. Embase 2016

6. Key milestones (up to 1990)
1946: Excerpta Medica Foundation established in Amsterdam
Publication of the first 15 Abstract Journals begun
“By the medical specialist, for the medical specialist”
1950s: EM organization extended to include 4000 volunteer abstractors
1971: Excerpta Medica acquired by Elsevier Science Publishers
1978: Embase available online on Dialog (incl. 4 year backfile to 1974)
BRS (later Ovid), DataStar, DIMDI & STN added during the 80’s
1987: Production process fundamentally simplified
Goal of 30-day TurnAroundTime; Emtree introduced
1990: Indexing manual completely revised and rewritten
Indexing itself outsourced to specialist indexing companies

8. Key milestones (1990 to the present)
2000: Embase.com introduced
2006: Embase Classic (EM records from 1946-1973) introduced
2009: Conference abstracts, In-Process records & Articles in Press added
1946: Excerpta Medica Foundation established in Amsterdam
Publication of the first 15 Abstract Journals begun
“By the medical specialist, for the medical specialist”
1950s: Organization extended to include 4000 volunteer abstractors
1971: Excerpta Medica acquired by Elsevier Science Publishers
1978: Embase available online on Dialog (incl. 4 year backfile to 1974)
DataStar, STN, BRS (later Ovid), DIMDI added during the 80’s
1987: Production process fundamentally simplified => 30 day TAT
Emtree introduced
1990: Indexing manual fundamentally revised
Indexing itself outsourced to specialist indexing companies

9. * on the Embase.com platform

10. Embase history of indexing
Excerpta
Medica
1946
1
Medical
devices
2012-14
7
Automatic
indexing
2009
6
RCTs
Additional
check tags
1993
5
Item
types
1990
4
Emtree +
subheadings
1987
3
1963
Controlled
vocabulary
2
1
2
3
7
6
4
5
Indexing unified into a controlled vocabulary (“MALIMET”) with synonyms
First 15 abstract journals published, with natural language indexing
Birth of Emtree: tree structure added based on MeSH. Subheadings introduced
Introduction of 8 item types (aka publication types)
Extension of check tags with the first of several new EBM terms
Conference abstracts & In-process records automatically indexed
Emtree extended : over 2000 new medical device terms and 4 new subheadings

11. 1946: “By the medical specialist,
for the medical specialist”
Excerpta Medica’s indexing credo
2016: “Natural language indexing”

16. Embase’s philosophy of indexing (2016)
• “Natural language indexing”
- Indexing is based on the full text of the article
- Extensive taxonomy support (Emtree) with many synonyms
- Most terms are not pre-defined by scope notes (no SNs)
- Check tags & subheadings are the exception (they have SNs)
• In-depth indexing for drugs and devices
- All concepts with “significant” information are indexed
- Drugs, devices and diseases are indexed with subheadings
Includes 7 “key subheadings” (triples) for core topics
- Drug and device trade names / manufacturers are indexed
• Organic growth of Emtree using candidate terms
- Emtree is updated 3 x each year
- Older records are “backposted” with new terms

17. Thank you for your
attention
Dr. Ian Crowlesmith
Senior Product Manager for Content Development
i.crowlesmith@elsevier.com
MLA Toronto, May 17, 2016