BOOKMARK THAT SITE!
PAUL ALAN WETTER, MD, ANN MORCOS, MA, ELS
Imagine the following scenarios: making rounds and attending to a patient with a condition that you are not familiar with; writing a paper based on your recent research, or patient case; writing a review article to submit to JSLS, Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons or another medical journal. In addition to using your computer, now imagine using your PDA or your cell phone as the tool for retrieving pertinent medical information in those situations! With the press of a few buttons, you can download the appropriate chapter of the first edition of Prevention and Management of Laparoendoscopic Surgical Complications, for example, or the “SLS Guide: Writing Effectively for MIS Journal Publication,” or other valuable information from the SLS website.
The mission of SLS is to “improve patient care and promote the highest standards of practice through education, training, and information distribution and to ensure that members have access to the newest ideas and approaches, as rapidly as possible.” Simply stated, SLS strives to make information available using the most convenient and practical means possible. They want to put information at your fingertips!
HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?
This mission might seem like a tall order; however, SLS is succeeding at its mission and now even taking it a step further. The newly expanded and redesigned websites, www.SLS.org and www.LaparoscopyToday.com have features that will allow you to access MIS information anytime, anywhere. This is possible using an RSS feed. Once you have an RSS feed reader, also known as an aggregator, installed on your computer, PDA, or cell phone, you can use your device to access the SLS website and obtain information instantly.
WHAT IS AN RSS FEED?
There is some discussion as to what RSS stands for, but the vote commonly goes to “Really Simple Syndication.” Essentially, it is a format for distributing content from sources on the web. RSS is particularly useful because it allows one to check for and retrieve the latest content available online from multiple information sources. The concept is based on syndicating information, much like newspapers have syndicated columns. The feed reader or aggregator software will grab the RSS feeds from your chosen websites and then display them on your computer or even manipulate them to be read on your cell phone or PDA.
HOW TO START USING FEEDS
The first thing you need is an RSS feed reader or aggregator which can either be accessed using a browser or as a downloadable application. At your request, the aggregator searches your chosen sites and sends new information from those sites directly to your computer, PDA, or cell phone. Aggregators are available for free (NewsGator or NetNewsWire Lite for Mac are available at www.NewsGator.com) or for a small fee ($29.95 for NetNewsWire, the fully functional version of NewsGator for Mac, also available at www.NewsGator.com). To take advantage of RSS on your PDA, try Quick News for Palm OS (http://standalone.com/palmos/quick_news). At just $14.95, it’s a bargain.
The number of sites offering RSS is rapidly increasing, with websites such as those for the New York Times and the BBC as well as www.WebMD.com and www.MedicineNet.com offering the feature to keep viewers informed of the latest news. Sites offering RSS will typically show the RSS icon (Figure 1) or offer site viewers the option of subscribing to the site.
SLS uses RSS feeds to allow easier communication of MIS information from its website to physicians around the world who have access to computers and hand-held communication devices. Surgeons might also use RSS feeds within their institutions to share protocols, new procedures, news, or institutional policies with their colleagues.
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER NEW FEATURES ON SLS’ WEBSITES!
• New search engines powered by Google and IngentaConnect make gathering information from SLS’ publications easy. Search and download past issues of JSLS (Full text is available online 3 months after publication for free; new issues are available exclusively to members via password and login). A search of the SLS websites, powered by Google, is very effective for looking up the educational information available online. SLS prides itself on providing medical content from varied sources including journals, textbooks, conferences, forums and blogs.
• SLS Guide: Writing Effectively for MIS Journal Publication. This is a concise guide for both experienced writers and novices. It provides an overview of the steps to writing and preparing a submission worthy paper to MIS journals. Useful tips on how to present your information; preparing for writing; types of articles; outlining your paper; reviewing and editing your paper; how to prepare abstracts both structured and unstructured; and helpful references for more in-depth information are also available.
• MIS Discussion Forum. SLS is also starting a discussion page that provides a means of exchanging information and ideas. The current topic of discussion is hernias. Michael S. Kavic, MD, has submitted the article “Tension-free Repair Versus Watchful Waiting for Men with Asymptomatic or Minimally Symptomatic Inguinal Hernias: a Cost-effectiveness Analysis” by Stroupe KT, et al, published in the Journal of the American College of Surgery 2006;203(4):458-468 to stimulate discussion. One can log on, ask questions, provide feedback, and read others’ comments.
• The 1st edition of Prevention and Management of Laparoendoscopic Surgical Complications—full text and illustrations—is now free online to both members and nonmembers of SLS. The first printing of this classic textbook was a complete sellout and has been translated into Chinese and Portuguese. With RSS feed reader installed on your PDA, cellphone, or computer you can access this textbook anywhere.
• Prevention and Management of Laparoendoscopic Surgical Complications, 2nd Edition, which is a completely revised edition with 57 chapters and contributions from over 100 authors, is available for purchase through the website. This textbook is now being used in over 95% of MIS training programs. SLS members receive a discount when they purchase this text.
• SLS Annual Meeting and Endo Expo proceedings are available online beginning with the 15th SLS Annual Meeting and Endo Expo 2006 held in Boston, Massachusetts, and will continue with the 16th SLS Annual Meeting and Endo Expo 2007 taking place in San Francisco, California, September 5-8, 2007. Information and proceedings for future meetings, including syllabi, will also be available online.
What more could you want from a society website? Well, there IS more! SLS’ publication Laparoscopy Today now has an online counterpart, LaparoscopyToday.com, with an innovative “category cloud” (Figure 2). The category cloud identifies the hottest topics based on popularity. Site visitors can download all previous issues of Laparoscopy Today which contain membership news, scientific articles, and important information about minimally invasive surgery.
True to its mission of promoting high practice standards through education, training, and distributing information, SLS is providing the most current research findings and educational material to minimally invasive surgeons worldwide through its newly updated Web sites. See for yourself at www.SLS.org and www.LaparoscopyToday.com.
Correspondence: Paul Alan Wetter, MD, 7330 SW 62nd Place, Ste 410, Miami, FL 33143. Telephone: 305 665 9959, Fax: 305 667 4123
Paul Alan Wetter, MD, is Professor Emeritus, University of Miami School of Medicine; Chairman of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons, which he founded in 1990; Executive Editor of Laparoscopy Today; and Managing Editor of JSLS. He is the first gynecologist to bring endoscopic and microincision techniques for the treatment of tubal pregnancy, appendectomy, uterine fibroids, ovarian problems, and abnormal uterine bleeding to the State of Florida. He is also Florida’s first gynecologic surgeon to perform laparoscopic hysterectomy, laparoscopic appendectomy, and laparoscopic treatments for tubal pregnancy.
Ann Conti Morcos, MA, ELS, has been a medical writer/editor for 20 years. She is a member of the American Medical Writers Association, the Council of Science Editors, and is board certified by the Board of Editors in the Life Sciences. Her work has appeared in ADVANCE for Directors in Rehabilitation, ADVANCE for Nurse Practitioners, Annals of Internal Medicine, ASCO Daily News, Cardiology World News, CBS HealthWatch, Kids Health.org, Boy's Life Magazine, and others. She is the Copy Editor for JSLS, Journal of the Society of Laparoendoscopic Surgeons and the English-language editor for the Brazilian Archives of Cardiology. She also edits manuscripts for the Heart Institute (InCor) of the University of Sao Paulo Medical School in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
www.Laparoscopy.org The Laparoscopic Surgery Information Source
