Analysis of search in an online clinical laboratory manual.

Online laboratory manuals have developed into an important gateway to the laboratory. Clinicians increasingly expect up-to-date laboratory test information to be readily available online. During the past decade, sophisticated Internet search technology has developed, permitting rapid and accurate retrieval of a wide variety of content. We studied the role of search in an online laboratory manual. We surveyed the utilization of search technology in publicly available online manuals and examined how users interact with the search feature of a laboratory handbook. We show how a laboratory can improve its online handbook through insights gained by collecting information about each user's activity. We also discuss future applications for search-related technologies and the potential role of the online laboratory manual as the primary laboratory information portal.