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Introducing the Policy File Index database

by Kimberley Barker on 2018-08-09T10:51:43-04:00 | 0 Comments

This review of "Policy File" was written by Nick Patler.

According to its website, “Policy File Index is a unique resource for U.S. public policy research in that it grants users access to timely, updated information from over 350 public policy think tanks, nongovernmental organizations, research institutes, university centers, advocacy groups, and other entities” (https://search.proquest.com/policyfile/productfulldescdetail?accountid=14678).

Policy File Index is an organic database designed to continually expand, with content updated daily and hundreds of new records added weekly. Researchers are able to directly access timely reports, papers, documents, and other sources, as well as draw on policy research that dates back to 1990.

One value that the Policy File Index offers healthcare professionals is that it provides them with direct links to the ways in which health/medical issues intersect with public policy. In this sense, the index can help health professionals play an important role in the policy process as well as stay abreast of the latest public health research and advocacy.

Researchers can use either basic or advanced search. The latter offers the ability to hyper-focus on a topic or policy by selecting such categories as subject headings, field codes, document type, organization type, organization political leaning, and language:  
 


The Policy File Index website also includes ten organizational types, allowing researchers to search the organizations that make up the index:

For healthcare professionals, the most obvious of the ten organizational types may at first glance appear to be “Scientific, Technical and Medical.” However, a search under this heading reveals few healthcare/issue related organizations. The healthcare professional searching for related organizations may be better served by searching instead under the heading “Societal.” Here there are at least ten health organizations/think tanks, such as the Center for Studying Health System Change, the Public Health Advocacy Institute, and many others that incorporate healthcare/issues within their larger body of research and orientation. The “U.S. Domestic” heading also includes health related organizations and think tanks.
 

 

 

To conclude, as social, economic ,and political issues continue to intersect with healthcare issues, Policy File Index may become an increasingly important resource for healthcare professionals

 


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