We do something a little different with one of our other databases.  We use
just one of the IDs and passwords that the vendor gave us.  Then we
distribute that to everyone for a year.  At the end of the year, we change
the password.  You can register everyone and then notify them at the end of
the year (leaving off those who are no longer at your facility).  Or just
change the password, put out an announcement that the current staff can call
the library for the new password.
It is a pain though.  We ended up using individual IDs with MDConsult.

Deborah Adams, MSLS, AHIP         Phone: (248) 471-8434
Botsford General Hospital         Fax: (248) 471-8505
Library and Internet Services     [log in to unmask]
28050 Grand River Ave.            http://www.botsfordlibrary.org
Farmington Hills, MI 48336


-----Original Message-----
From: Klawansky, Susan [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, January 20, 2000 7:30 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: MDConsult


We're about to hop onto the MDConsult train, and are having some difficulty
deciding what registration model to go with - IP or non-IP restricted.
While we would love to make these resources available to staff from their
homes or other off-site locations, I can't figure out how to get around the
difficulties.  We are a teaching hospital with a huge number of people who
rotate through - residents, medical and nursing students, parents of
patients, community physicians.  If any one of them can set up a
registration while they are here, then continue to use it when they are no
longer here, our paltry 3 concurrent user licenses will soon collapse under
the weight.

I know that we could adopt a model of library staff issuing userids, but
that's too big a burden on our already overworked staff.
I wonder if anyone else has grappled with this and come up with a solution.

Thanks for your insights.

Susan

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Susan L. Klawansky, Librarian
Hospital Library CH-38
206-526-2098 (p)
Children's Hospital & Regional Medical Center            206-527-3838 (f)
P.O. Box 5371
[log in to unmask]
4800 Sand Point Way NE
Seattle, WA  98105
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