Improving usage of pediatric information on the Internet: The Virtual Children's Hospital

Objective. Digital health sciences libraries (DHSLs) bring order to the cha os of the Internet by making authoritative medical information easily and c onveniently available to patrons. The goal of this project was to perform a baseline usage analysis of the pediatric-related information in a general DHSL and to determine whether reorganization of the pediatric-related infor mation into its own pediatric DHSL could increase the usage of the pediatri c-related information. Methods. From March through August 1997, a baseline analysis of a general D HSL (Virtual Hospital) was conducted using computer server log file analysi s programs. The quantity of pediatric-related information in the general DH SL and its baseline usage were determined. In September 1997, the pediatric -related information was reorganized into its own pediatric DHSL (Virtual C hildren's Hospital), and server log file analyses were conducted of the ped iatric DHSL from September 1997 to August 1998. Statistical analysis was pe rformed by time series autoregression. Results. During the baseline, the general DHSL and the pediatric-related in formation received a monthly average of 2 320 782 and 141 444 qualified hit s, respectively. After the intervention, the general DHSL and the pediatric DHSL received a monthly average of 2 765 454 and 256 998 qualified hits, r espectively. This is an increase of 19.2% for the general DHSL and 81.7% fo r the pediatric DHSL. These changes were statistically significant at the P > .0001 level. The most requested pediatric-related content in the pediatr ic DHSL did not change substantively from preintervention to postinterventi on. Discussion. On the Internet, as in real life, children's services must have their own distinct identity and must be differentiated from adult services . Therefore, pediatric-related information will receive increased usage if it is part of a pediatric DHSL rather than part of a general DHSL. Others c an use this process and the lessons learned to develop and enhance their ow n pediatric-related information on the Internet.