Table 3 Current functionalities contained in Health Systems Evidence
From: Developing and refining the methods for a ‘one-stop shop’ for research evidence about health systems
Domain | Functionality |
|---|---|
Content | • Comprehensive inventory of the following types of research evidence about health system arrangements and implementation strategies |
o Evidence briefs for policy | |
o Overviews of systematic reviews | |
o Systematic reviews of effects | |
o Systematic reviews addressing other questions | |
o Systematic reviews in progress (i.e., protocols) | |
o Systematic reviews being planned (i.e., registered titles) | |
o Economic evaluations and costing studies | |
o Health reform descriptions | |
o Health system descriptions | |
Interface | • Available in all WHO official languages plus one other language (which collectively are spoken as the first or second language by a large proportion of the world’s population): |
o Arabic | |
o Chinese | |
o English | |
o French | |
o Portuguese | |
o Russian | |
o Spanish | |
Registration | • Free registration process enables users to sign up to receive a monthly customizable evidence service and to access complementary content (see below) |
Open search | • Auto-complete feature operates with a synonyms dictionary |
Advanced search | • Taxonomy can be expanded and sub-elements ticked for a highly specific search |
• Search terms can be entered and searched for in a variety of fields (e.g., title and abstract fields) | |
• A number of limits can be applied to further refine the search, such as: | |
o Taxonomy of cross-cutting domains | |
Type of document (e.g., systematic review or economic evaluation and costing studies) | |
o Publication date range | |
o Country focus | |
o Low- and middle-income country focus | |
Search results overview | • Overview of the types of research evidence available reminds users of the many types of evidence that they may want to consider (and highlights the type that they had selected in their search limits, if applicable) |
• Provides two types of additional search options if the search failed to retrieve relevant records: | |
o Search for high-quality studies published since 2003 (and captured in Evidence Updates) | |
o Search for studies published in Medline (and captured through a validated search strategy for types of research evidence particularly relevant to health system policymakers, stakeholders and researchers) | |
Search results by record | • Table allows for easy scanning by key features: |
o Title of record | |
o Type of document | |
o Last year literature searched (for reviews) or year published | |
o Quality rating | |
o Countries in which studies were conducted or that are the focus of the document | |
• Table provides two ways to see more detail: | |
o Links to structured decision-relevant summaries (with up to eight available depending on the record), abstracts, full-text reports, studies included in a systematic review (if applicable), and related documents (i.e., other types of research evidence on the same topic) | |
o One-pager (see below) | |
One-pager | • One-pager provides a complete summary of all information available for the record, including the full citation and related documents |
Additional resources | • Background information includes ‘why use it and who’s behind it,’ ‘what’s in it,’ and a four-page PDF about it |
• Search tips include ‘how to search it,’ ‘what a search will retrieve,’ and a description of any newly added content or functionality | |
• Related tools include a one-page PDF on ‘finding and using research evidence’ and a two-page PDF containing links to the full suite of SUPPORT Tools for evidence-informed Policymaking (STP) [15] | |
• Videos include a brief video about using Health Systems Evidence (currently available in select languages only) | |
Supplementary content | • For those registered as based in Canada or those who elect at registration to access additional content relevant to Canada, the Evidence-Informed Healthcare Renewal Portal is visible and can be searched for any policy-relevant documents related to health systems in Canada |
• The Intergovernmental Organizations’ Health Systems Documents Portal can be searched for policy-relevant documents about health system strengthening prepared by international agencies | |
• Over time, additional supplementary content will be added |