One of several diagnostic support tools provided through the Welch Medical Library website, UpToDate contains more than 10,000 peer-reviewed articles covering 20 specialties. A mobile-friendly website licensed for use by Johns Hopkins Medicine employees, it acts as an evidence-based clinical decision support resource and contains patient education sheets and a drug interactions database.

“These applications allow us to efficiently navigate the limitless volume of information in an intelligent and targeted way,” says Sanjay Desai, vice chair for education for the Department of Medicine. “We feel very privileged to have access to so many expert resources for our students, trainees and faculty.”

Ted James, a second-year internal medicine resident, uses UpToDate to test a diagnosis.

“When you’re forming a differential diagnosis, UpToDate can be very helpful,” says James, who in his spare time is developing an app to move the Osler guide for Johns Hopkins residents to an interactive digital platform. “We use our medical training to say it could be X, Y or Z. We then use UpToDate to walk us through these different scenarios, what tests to consider ordering or not ordering, and suggested courses of treatment.”

In this way, UpToDate also helps reinforce Choosing Wisely, a nationwide initiative embraced by Johns Hopkins Medicine that seeks to educate physicians and patients about more than 250 tests and procedures that are often unnecessary or inappropriate.

UpToDate requires staff members to be logged in and using the Johns Hopkins desktop or Wi-Fi networks. Clinicians can use the Johns Hopkins Medicine license to access uptodate.com for free, but only while on campus.

To learn more, visit the “Popular Resources” section on the Welch Medical Library’s website at welch.jhmi.edu.