The Cochrane Library – internationally recognised as the best single source of reliable healthcare information – is now available to all Australians.
We are one of the few countries in the world to offer free internet access to this important health resource and, being available to consumers and practitioners alike, is expected to change the face of healthcare throughout the nation.
Vitally involved in the medical leap forward is WCH’s Dr Jill Sewell who is Chair of the board of the National Institute of Clinical Studies as well as being Deputy Director of the Centre for Community Health at the RCH.
Jill has been instrumental in encouraging the Federal Government to make the Cochrane Library available throughout Australia.
“It will give everyone in healthcare, not just those with institutional connections, access to whole new world of health information”, she said.
“Its availability has been applauded by consumers and the medical and healthcare professionals.
“It will help inform consumers while being of invaluable assistance to the healthcare industry
“With the flood of information already bombarding healthcare practitioners it is extremely useful for them to freely access such a valuable single source of accurate, evidence based information,” she said.
The Cochrane Library is a database of the best available healthcare information. It contains almost 1500 reviews of evidence, known as the Cochrane Reviews, which look at interventions relating to surgery, medicines, complementary therapies and other treatments.
The library also contains several other databases including a register of 350,000 trials.
“In professional circles Cochrane Reviews are regarded as the “Gold Standard” in evidence because of the rigor applied to their preparation and maintenance and internationally are increasingly being used to influence policy and practice,” she said.
The National Institute of Clinical Studies was established two years ago as Australia’s national agency for closing the gap between evidence and practice in healthcare. It successfully negotiated the license with the Cochrane Library on behalf of the Australian Government.
The Cochrane Library is now linked from the WCH Library site.