The Telemedicine Information Exchange (TIE) Web site is a unique resource for information. It began on the cusp of the development of the Internet and the World Wide Web (Web) in 1995, using that technology to provide online databases of information on telemedicine. One of the major and most used databases is the Bibliographic database, which as of early 2005 has over 15,500 citations. Our original intent in 1995 was to provide those interested in telemedicine with a database of telemedicine literature covering all aspects of the subject from a wide selection of publications, and in a variety of media. With major support from the National Library of Medicine (NLM) beginning in 1997, our mission also included submitting non-NLM indexed citations for inclusion in their bibliographic databases.
The Bibliographic database began as a strictly online bibliography. We did not have a budget to acquire hard copy of all resources indexed, nor a mechanism to provide them for loan. We did acquire some books and reprints through donation, and collected some reprints through the Oregon Health & Science University Library collection. However, over the past ten years of the TIE's existence and with NLM support since 1997, we have acquired a reprint collection of over 5000 items, mostly reprints of articles, with a very few journal subscriptions, books, reports, and conference proceedings. Until 2003, we provided loans through an online document delivery service through the TIE, with a membership in the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC). We still provide document delivery, however the service is now offered through the Telemedicine Research Center Web site via links from the TIE.
Given the focus of the TIE as an online database that does not necessarily reflect a physical collection, our selection criteria could then cover a wider subject area and more varied publication types, as opposed to indexing only specific journals that may (or more likely may not) have an article on telemedicine. Given the broad disciplines outside life sciences that may include information on telemedicine, such as social sciences, computer science, engineering, popular literature, etc., choosing individual journals to index became too inhibiting. Our focus has been on collecting citations on telemedicine as a specific subject target, and we will consider any source.
Telemedicine has been simply defined as the use of telecommunications to provide medical information and services. In recent years, the term 'telehealth' has also been used interchangeably with 'telemedicine', however 'telehealth' more often reflects the broad spectrum of healthcare services via telecommunications, including telemedicine, administrative meetings, education, etc, while the term 'telemedicine' reflects the delivery of clinical health care services via videoconferencing, store-and-forward computer image sharing, or other telecommunications methods. For the purposes of this document, the word 'telemedicine' shall be all-inclusive.
All citations indexed in the TIE must relate to telemedicine or telehealth as described in the definitions above, or to subjects that are peripheral to telemedicine and telehealth. These may include subjects such as telecommunications (the variety of telecommunications methods used to practice telemedicine, such as the telephone, integrated services delivery network, broadband, and satellite), technology (such as interactive videoconferencing, store-and-forward imaging, and Web-based transfer of information), rural health, access to health, physician supply, data security, legal and legislative issues, reimbursement, etc., but only as they relate to or effect the practice of telemedicine.
A high percentage of citations are from peer-reviewed scholarly journals, however we will also index non-peer-reviewed magazines, newspapers, newsletters, books (and book chapters), conference proceedings (specifically abstracts from presentations), government and other agency reports, and general reports which may be considered of interest to our audience. We also consider non-print media such as online full-text articles, videos, CDs, etc., and article from the popular press. Citations may be from publications worldwide and foreign language citations are included, particularly if they provide an English abstract.
Those publications specifically not indexed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM), such as abstracts of conference proceedings, many news articles, book reviews, articles from popular magazines, peer-reviewed articles from disciplines not covered by the NLM.
All publication types must contain articles or information pertaining to telemedicine and its related subjects, as described in the Scope. They should be generally available to the public; those that are not should be adequately described in the abstract field.
Articles may be of substantive length as indicated by page numbers, references, and named authors, or may be shorter articles that report on news events, new products or applications if they relate directly to telemedicine.
Non-print media such as online articles or videos will be indexed if the citation includes attributable information such as title, date, and place of publication.
Online articles will be indexed, with the URL of the article location placed in the abstract field.
Articles must be attributable to a source, i.e., journal title, report publisher, conference proceeding publisher, government agency, etc. There should be enough information in the citation to lead the user to the resource.
Citations already indexed by the National Library of Medicine generally will not be added, however there is overlap.
The TIE's coverage is primarily directed to those worldwide who are directly or peripherally involved in healthcare professions in a wide variety of settings, and who have an interest in the practice of telemedicine, including but not limited to:
Health care providers; allied health providers; administrators and staff of health care organizations, facilities and agencies; researchers; educators in professional health sciences, as well as health science librarians, government policy makers and legislators whose focus is healthcare; those in alternative settings for health care, such as prisons, public schools, and home care, and consumers of healthcare services.
Contact the ATSP
