McMaster Premium Literature Service (PLUS): an evidence-based medicine information service delivered on the Web.

BACKGROUND: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) attempts to narrow the gap between knowledge and practice, but ready access to evidence-based resources remains a challenge to practicing physicians. OBJECTIVE: To describe a new, EBM information delivery service, its trial design, and baseline data. METHODS: McMaster PLUS (Premium Literature Service), composed of a continuously updated database and web-based interface, delivers scientifically rigorous and clinically relevant research literature matched to individual physicians' clinical interests. A cluster randomized controlled trial is currently underway, comparing 2 versions of the PLUS system. RESULTS: As of Feb 2005, the PLUS database contained over 5700 scientifically sound, clinically relevant articles, published from 2001 to present. 68% of articles have full text links. Over 200 physicians in Northern Ontario have been randomized to one of 2 PLUS interfaces. CONCLUSION: McMaster PLUS has been designed to aid physicians to home in on high quality research that is highly relevant and important to their own clinical practice.