Personal File Management

"A reference that cannot be retrieved cannot be used."
Samuel S. Thatcher, M.D., Ph.D

Physical Management of Files

Bibliographic File Management Software

How does one organize reprints, photocopies of articles, correspondence, research reports, etc. so that information can be found when needed? Whatever system is used, it is important to keep certain principles in mind:

A good system:

Physical Management of Files

Using a Subject Thesaurus

A subject thesaurus such as MeSH--National Library of Medicine's Annotated Alphabetic List of Medical Subject Headings--can be used to index medical articles.

Example:
*empyema
streptokinase
Willsie-Ediger SK, Salzman G, Reisz G, Foreman MG
Use of intrapleural streptokinase in the treatment of thoracic emyema.
Am J Med Sci Nov 1990;300(5):296-300


In this example, the index terms "*empyema" and "streptokinase" are written at the top of the article. The article will be placed in a folder marked "empyema" as indicated by the asterisk, and a photocopy of the first page will be placed in a folder marked "streptokinase."

MeSH is a very structured and complex vocabulary, which may present too many choices, but it also provides cross references (e.g., HEART DISEASES, ISCHEMIC see CORONARY DISEASE). The MeSH Tree can also be used.

To discuss further the merits and uses of MeSH as an indexing system, contact your medical librarian.

Using a Classification Scheme

A classification scheme such as ICD 9 CM can be used to index medical articles.

Example:
493
Freund DA, Stein J, Hurley R, Engel W, Woomert A, Lee B
The Kansas City Asthma Care Project: specialty differences in the cost of treating asthma.
Ann Allergy Jan 1988;60(1):3-7


In this example, the index term "493" is written at the top of the article. The article will be placed in a folder marked "493--asthma."

Use of the ICD-9-CM limits one to disease terms in broad categories, with no terms for therapies, procedures or organisms. It is very easy to browse by subject, and to file and refile articles, but may be to broad for a specialist's personal file.

To discuss the merits and uses of various classification schemes such as ICD-9-CM or CLASS R (the Library of Congress medicine schedule), contact your medical librarian.

Using a Textbook Table of Contents

The table of contents from a general text such as Cecil's or Harrison's, or from a specialty textbook can be used to index medical articles.

Example:
32
*52
Portnoy J, Nadel G, Amado M, Willsie-Ediger S
Continuous nebulization for status asthmaticus.
Ann Allergy July 1992;69(1):71-9


In this example, the index terms "32" and "52" are written at the top of the article, indicating the chapter numbers from the table of contents of the 4th ed. of the Textbook of Pulmonary Diseases. The article will be placed in a folder marked "52--Critical care for acute respiratory failure," as indicated by the asterisk, and a photocopy of the first page will be placed in a folder marked "32--Bronchial asthma."

Use of the a table of contents can provide an organized and comprehensive list of subject headings in broad categories, but may be best suited to small collections. One must always use the same edition of the textbook, as subsequent editions may be completely reorganized, rendering one's files disorganized.

To discuss the merits and uses of tables of contents, contact your medical librarian.

Using a Textbook Index

The index from a general text such as Cecil's or Harrison's, or from a specialty textbook can be used to index medical articles.

Example:
*Asthma--status asthmaticus
Asthma--therapy
Portnoy J, Nadel G, Amado M, Willsie-Ediger S
Continuous nebulization for status asthmaticus.
Ann Allergy July 1992;69(1):71-9


In this example, the index terms "*Asthma--status asthmaticus" and "Asthma--therapy" are written at the top of the article, indicating the index terms from the index of the 12th ed. of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. The article will be placed in a folder marked "Asthma--status asthmaticus," as indicated by the asterisk, and a photocopy of the first page will be placed in a folder marked "Asthma--therapy."

A textbook index can be an inexpensive source for comprehensive subject coverage, and indented entries can be used as subheadings as they were in the example above. Always use the same edition, and write in new subjects as they occur.

To discuss the merits and uses of tables of contents, contact your medical librarian.

Using a Personalized Classification Scheme

You can make up your own scheme, designed for your specific needs, indexed to the depth you require, but it may be very time consuming to produce and update such a scheme. Some specialties have indexing schemes in the literature:


Amar D. An updated cross-referenced filing system for anesthesiologists. Anesth Analg Jun 1992;74(6):906-28.

Dailey RH. Updated reprint filing system for the emergency physician. JACEP 1976;5:910-1.

Rivinus TM, Gutheil TG. A note on a rapid retrieval filing system for child psychiatry and related disciplines. Child Psychol Psychiatry 1977;18:367-71.

Rice DH. Simplified filing system for otorhinolaryngology. ENT J 1977;56:365-6.

Creager RJ. Medical literature filing systems in family practice residency programs. J Fam Pract 1983;16:621-4.

Example:
*Kansas City Asthma Care Project
Asthma
Cost of care
Freund DA, Stein J, Hurley R, Engel W, Woomert A, Lee B.
The Kansas City Asthma Care Project: specialty differences in the cost of treating asthma.
Ann Allergy Jan 1988;60(1):3-7


In this example, the index terms "*Kansas City Asthma Care Project," "Cost of care" and "Asthma" are written at the top of the article, indicating the index terms from a personalized classification scheme. The article will be placed in a folder marked "Kansas City Asthma Care Project," as indicated by the asterisk, and a photocopy of the first page will be placed in folders marked "Asthma" and "Cost of care."

To discuss the merits and uses of various classification schemes, contact your medical librarian.

Further discussion of management of article files can be found in:


Karofsky PS. How to create and maintain an article file. JAMA 4 Nov 1992;268(17):2450.

Jones JG. Chasing the medical literature. Family Practice Research Journal 1991;11(3):247-50.

Haynes RB, McKibbon A, Fitzgerald D, Guyatt GH, Walker CJ, Sackett DL. How to keep up with the medical literature: VI. How to store and retrieve articles worth keeping. Ann Intern Med 1986;105:978-84.

Dorff, Pat, Edith Fine and Judith Josephson. File. . . don't pile!: For people who write: handling the paper flow in the workplace or home office. New York: St. Martin's, 1994.

Bibliographic File Management Software

Any database management software can be used, but a good bibliographic file management program can be worth the money if you wish to manage large file collections, particularly if you intend to write and publish. A good program should be easy to use, should have predefined fields, should be able to import citations from various sources (such as MEDLINE)*, and should be able to generate bibliographies in a variety of journal formats. The ability to search several fields or terms, detect duplicates, and edit globally is also desirable.
*Hint to all MERLIN users: when saving a search from an OVID database to import into a database management program, choose "Reprint" format.

There are some useful articles comparing features of bibliographic file management programs:

Stigleman, Sue. Bibliography formatting software: a buying guide. Database Feb 1992:15-27.

Miller, Michael Craig. Reference management software: a review of Endnote Plus, Reference Manager, and Pro-Cite. M.D. Computing 1994;11(3):161-8.

A listserv which discusses the merits and uses of various programs is BIBSOFT@LISTSERV.IUPUI.EDU

To learn more about some popular programs, try the following links:

CML's Information Resources Home Page UMKC School of Medicine Home Page UMKC Health Sciences Library Home Page

http://research.med.umkc.edu/teams/cml/Filemgmt.html updated 3/97 by pfannenstiel@cctr.umkc.edu