Versatile user interface using UMLS Metathesaurus.

One of the obstacles for a successful search in the biomedical field is that different vocabularies are used by different databases but more than one database is usually needed to respond adequately to a healthcare professional's query. A typical searcher usually is unfamiliar with these vocabularies and the sophisticated measures to narrow or broaden a search. As a result, a failed search is often due to using "inappropriate" search terms. We have developed a highly interactive and versatile user interface, SHINE Refined Search (SHINE RS). It uses medical concepts from the UMLS Metathesaurus as the building block to help searchers find "appropriate" search terms for their queries. The results of our preliminary usability assessment are promising and demonstrate the potential to improve retrieval results.