Elsevier launches German language version of clinical reference tool MD Consult

STM publisher Elsevier, Netherlands, has announced the launch of DoctorConsult (http://www.doctorconsult.de), the German language version of its professional clinical reference tool, MD Consult. The move is part of Elsevier’s expanded efforts to provide interactive clinical reference and clinical decision support (CDS) tools to new markets in Europe. The launch of DoctorConsult is seen to make Elsevier the first multi-lingual professional clinical reference product provider.The customised products are seen to meet the cultural needs of users who do not speak English as a first language, and address specific medical practice needs within different countries. The Internet-based products provide users with a full range of medical information covering a variety of clinical needs. In one integrated interface, users can now access evidence-based immediately actionable 'quick answers' (i.e. Elsevier's FirstConsult) as well as background references such as books and full text journal articles suitable for more in-depth research. Additional localised versions of MD Consult are in development for Italy, France and Spain.The Consult suite of multilingual reference products is one of several solutions being developed to meet local reference, point-of-care, workflow and decision support needs. Additional solutions in development include Clinical Decision Support; guidelines and best practice information delivered when and where they are most useful at the point of care; leveraging of patient data to pinpoint the most needed information for a given clinical task; drug information and safety checking, also linked to patient data when possible; seamless content integration with Electronic Health Records, including info buttons and alerts; payer services; retrospective analytics for identifying performance gaps and outliers; and tools to influence provider behaviour.According to Elsevier, the company is well positioned to replicate its success in the US in other markets as well. The company further noted that European e-health markets and Elsevier's positions within them are at an earlier stage of development than in the US. While market dynamics are different, key underlying market forces are similar to those in the US, particularly the drive to contain costs and improve outcomes, and the rapid increase in Internet usage by healthcare practitioners.