BARRETT MEMORIAL HOSPITAL MEDICAL LIBRARY DEVELOPMENT

Barrett Memorial Hospital, Dillon MT

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (adapted from the Abstract): Barrett Memorial Hospital (BMH) is a public non-profit, 32-bed hospital that serves Beaverhead County in southwest Montana, population 8,424 in a 5,500 square mile area (1.5 people per square mile.) The hospital is in Dillon, which has a population of 4,008. The closest hospital and medical library, also a rural facility, is 60 miles away. BMH is requesting funds of $7,935.00 to purchase a computer system, fax machine, photocopier from the National Library of Medicine?s Information Access Grant in order to better obtain medical information for the 15-member medical and 147 member hospital and community health center staff. The medical community is often without the resources typically available in larger more densely populated areas. A medical library plays an important role in providing access to medical information, which directly affects patient care in this isolated area. The ability to meet the information needs will be greatly enhanced by the addition of these capital items. A new medical office building will be built by BMH to alleviate overcrowded conditions in the summer 1999, next to the existing hospital. The Hospital Board has committed 416 square feet in the new building for a medical library (Appendix 1). This dedicated space is a major advancement in the continuing efforts that began in 1997 to establish a formal library. However, the current library is in a shared basement area and the only equipment transferable to the new space will be a single computer. The requested funds from this grant will allow the medical library to purchase essential office equipment that would otherwise take years to obtain.