Customer feedback on the functionality of the Cochrane Library is welcomed; see information on how to contact Wiley customer services. Wiley and Cochrane monitor the feedback, and from time to time, significant issues are raised. There are three issues at the moment that may particularly impact users, including the Cochrane community, and we are providing a summary of these issues. Should you have any questions or concerns about these, please do contact David Hives, Cochrane Production Manager, Wiley (dhives@wiley.com).

1. Search index problem for some Cochrane Reviews
There is a search index problem on the Cochrane Library, affecting some Cochrane Reviews (not CENTRAL records) published since April 2017 or any that have a 3-digit year date instead of a 4-digit year date. This results in some newly published reviews and protocols in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (CDSR) not being returned in search results and/or the links go older versions of the article. All Cochrane Reviews and protocols are available via the browse options or via the table of contents. More details

2. Review group filter not finding all reviews
There is an issue with the Search Limit “By Review Group” in the Advanced Search of the Cochrane Library. This means that new citation versions of Cochrane Reviews and protocols (not CENTRAL records) will not be found using a Review Group Search Limit. More details

3. ‘New’ tag removed for CENTRAL records
Since the publication of Issue 10, 2017 (31 October 2017), it has not been possible to use the ‘New’ filter in Advanced Search for CENTRAL records (other databases in the Cochrane Library are not affected). More details

Cochrane is delighted to announce the full launch of all nine modules of its new online introductory training course on how to conduct a systematic review of interventions, available at interactivelearning.cochrane.org.

Cochrane authors and other producers of systematic reviews from across the world will be able to access self-directed learning on framing a review, searching for studies, risk of bias assessment, meta-analysis, GRADE, and the complete systematic review process, developed by world-leading experts in systematic review methods

New learners will have the chance to embark on modular, interactive training on how to produce systematic reviews, and experienced authors can refresh their skills with the latest guidance and best practice.

Cochrane Interactive Learning offers dynamic, flexible, and engaging content with nine modules and over 100 bite-size learning units, building knowledge for new and existing authors one step at a time. They provide clear explanations with stimulating interactions, quizzes, animations, examples, and reference resources, and enable learners to tailor their learning experience, in their own time, and from anywhere in the world, from a laptop, tablet, or phone.

The course will also serve educators in evidence-based health care, providers of professional development to researchers or health professionals, researchers within guideline development or HTA settings, commercial research organizations, and commissioners of systematic reviews who rely on rigorous methods to make evidence-informed decisions.

One early adopter of Cochrane Interactive Learning says, “This learning tool is absolutely brilliant and of high quality… [and] would offer all researchers a unique opportunity to learn how to conduct high-profile scientific reviews and...undoubtedly enhance our scientific output."

Module 1: Introduction to conducting systematic reviews will remain free to all learners.

Cochrane Authors will have free access to all the Cochrane Interactive Learning modules, as will Cochrane editorial teams and Group staff (see here for a complete list). Residents of WHO Hinari A and B countries will also be eligible for free access.

Other users will be able to take out a paid subscription (personal or institutional), with Cochrane Members eligible for a discount on personal subscriptions.

Find out more:

• interactivelearning.cochrane.org
• interactivelearning@cochrane.org

Open for submissions until 31 December 2017

Call for submissions
Cochrane is piloting a Fast-Track Service. This is a ‘journal-like’ process whereby high-quality, MECIR-compliant reviews that require no major revision, can be submitted directly into an accelerated editorial process. We aim for a turnaround of three months from submission to publication.

Eligibility requirements
This call is open to experienced Cochrane authors who wish to submit a Cochrane Review in 2017. The threshold for acceptance will be high, and we expect submitted manuscripts to be of publishable standard and to meet the specified criteria, found in the Information for Authors and Fast-Track Service webpage. Consequently, authors can expect a higher rejection rate than with the non-Fast-Track submission process. For more information about the threshold for rejection please see Appendix 3 of the proposal.

Submitted reviews should be accompanied by a research protocol, which may be - but does not need to be - a published Cochrane protocol. The protocol must be pre-registered in PROSPERO as a minimum requirement.

Applications
Author teams who wish to apply for the Fast-Track service can submit a short expression of interest using this online form. We will respond within 14 days. Agreement from the relevant review group will be sought before a review can enter the pilot.

Timeline
The pilot is open and will be accepting applications until 31 December 2017.

• For more information about eligibility onto the scheme and details regarding the editorial process, please see the Fast-Track Service webpage.
• News item: First publication produced with the support of Cochrane's Fast Track Service (Sept 2017)
• For any other enquiries, please contact Karla Soares-Weiser (ksoares-weiser@cochrane.org) or Helen Wakeford (hwakeford@cochrane.org).

Cochrane’s organizational Dashboard presents our achievements in key metrics.

We use it as an excellent tool to reflect on our accomplishments on a quarterly basis.

Here are just a few highlights from Q3 2017:

• Cochrane South Africa successfully hosted the Global Evidence Summit (GES) in Cape Town in September with four other organizations. Over 1,300 delegates from 75 countries attended.
• Cochrane’s new Membership scheme was launched at the GES, and the rollout for existing collaborators will continue in Q4.
• Cochrane Interactive Learning, our new systematic review online learning tool, was launched in September with free trial usage available until early November.
• Demand for the Cochrane Library continues to be strong with 13% growth year on year.
• Sales of the Cochrane Library continued its significant growth in 2017 with a 14% increase in royalties for Q3 compared with Q3 2016.
• Cochrane.org usage also grew, though at a lower rate than in earlier quarters. Mexico remains the leading user of cochrane.org, with substantial growth across South and Central America.

See Cochrane’s Q3 Dashboard in full

Find out more about Cochrane’s organizational Targets for 2017

Dear Cochrane community colleagues,
 
I am writing to inform you that after 14 years working with Cochrane our Head of Learning and Support, Miranda Cumpston, has decided now is the time to pursue new life and career opportunities and sadly will be leaving us at the end of the year.
 
Miranda has led the Learning and Support Department in its current form since 2015, developing a team that now oversees Central Executive leadership and support in the areas of Cochrane’s learning and development activities across the organization. Miranda has been Cochrane’s lead on author training whilst overseeing the launch of Cochrane Training (http://training.cochrane.org) with a suite of fabulous online learning resources and support for Cochrane Editors, Group staff, consumers, methodologists and other contributors.
 
During her many years with Cochrane Miranda has worked with all our contributor Groups on the implementation of new policies, processes, methods and technologies; and more recently has also been heavily involved in Cochrane’s governance reforms, including the establishment of Cochrane’s Governing Board, new electoral processes and related structures. Through her work in these areas she has made a wide-ranging and long-lasting contribution to Cochrane’s present strength and future development, for which we are immensely grateful. We will miss her enormously: not only for her wide-ranging expertise, passionate commitment to Cochrane’s mission, and influential contributions to many Central Executive activities; but also for the kindness, consideration, conscientiousness and good humour which she extended to all her colleagues.
 
Miranda leaves us at the end of December so there is still time and opportunity to thank her for her outstanding service. We will be working together with the Senior Management and Learning & Support teams over the coming weeks to review the current structure and work priorities of Cochrane’s learning and development, methods, user and consumer support; and we will communicate our plans to you before the end of the year.
 
Yours sincerely,

Mark

Mark G. Wilson
Chief Executive Officer

The recordings from this year’s Annual General Meeting are now available! Watch Governing Board Co-Chair Cindy Farquhar; CEO Mark Wilson; Deputy Editor in Chief Karla Soares-Weiser; and Treasurer Martin Burton give their views on Cochrane’s performance in 2017 and plans for the organization’s future.

Cochrane AGM videos: officers’ reports

The AGM also featured a series of videos showing stories from the Cochrane community in 2017.

The 2017 AGM was the first to be held under Cochrane's new Articles of Association, with every member entitled to vote. All resolutions put to the vote were approved and the full breakdown of results is available on the AGM website. Full minutes will be available in due course.

For any questions about the AGM, please contact lmcalley@cochrane.org.

Dear Community colleagues and members,

Your Governing Board met in Cape Town, South Africa, on 10-12 September. We are writing to you at this early stage with information about some of our key decisions. More information will be available in due course (as will the full open access minutes) but if you have any questions about these decisions, please contact one of us, any member of the Board, or Lucie Binder in the CEO's office.

We are pleased to report that the Board approved:

• The Structure and Function of Cochrane Review Groups: Implementation of the Networks and Editorial Board Plan. More information on this will be announced in the coming weeks.
• The CRG Transformation Programme Implementation budget.
• The CRG Transformation Programme appeals procedure set out in the paper, “Process for an appeal against the Editor in Chief’s decision during the Structure & Function Review CRG Transformation Programme”, with modification to paragraphs 10 (a) changing 14 days to 30 days, and 10 (b) 30 days to 60 days.
• Cochrane’s Knowledge Translation (KT) Implementation Plan.  As next steps, the Central Executive will further develop the implementation plan for 2018-2019 focusing on a prioritized 10 (out of 17) work-packages outlined in the KT Framework, working together with the KT Advisory Group.
• The hosting of the Colloquium 2020 in Toronto, Canada, by Cochrane Canada; and the hosting of the Governance Meetings in April 2019 in Krakow, Poland by Cochrane Poland.
• The establishment of two new Cochrane Centres in Argentina and Chile.
• The Cochrane Neonatal Review Group application for Strategic Development Support .
• The Cochrane Lung Cancer Review Group application for Strategic Development Support.
• The appointment of Marguerite Koster as Treasurer of the Cochrane Governing Board.
• The appointment of Gerald Gartlehner as Cochrane Governing Board Representative on the Cochrane Innovations Board.
• And, finally, the Senior Management Team’s proposed Strategy to 2020 priorities for 2018, to guide development of the 2018 Plan & Budget (which will be considered and approved by the Board in December). These are:

1. Successful implementation of the Cochrane Review Group Transformation Programme.
2. Establishing a Cochrane content strategy and improved product development processes.
3. Work to develop Cochrane’s sustainable business model, based on increased subscriptions to the Cochrane Library, and plans made for re-alignment of the Central Executive Team accordingly.
4. Development, expansion, and implementation of Cochrane’s Knowledge Translation initiative across the organization in a sustainable way.
   
   More information on these priorities will follow in due course.

The Agenda and open access papers are available here on the Community site. The full Minutes will be available soon.

The next Governing Board face-to-face meeting will be during Cochrane’s Governance Meeting, 19 -23 March 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal.

With our best wishes,

Cindy Farquhar and Martin Burton

Cochrane Co-Chairs

13 September 2017

It is with deep sadness that we announce to the Cochrane community that Dr. Fredric Wolf PhD died on July 23, 2017 at the age of 71. Fred had been battling two cancers for over a decade. He was a close friend and respected colleague to many of us, and we deeply mourn his loss.

As an academician, Fred had a long and illustrious history in both medical education and biomedical informatics. His highly cited meta-analysis work had an immeasurable impact on physician practices and patient outcomes. Fred was a creative, versatile, non-linear thinker and these traits are reflected in the path of his career.

After 6 years in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica he returned to the US with a goal of getting an MS in education and then return to Costa Rica as a teacher. Instead he discovered a passion for medical education and quantitative research that led to lifelong interests in meta-analysis, evidence-based medicine, clinical reasoning, and decision-making. Later in his career he became an important academic leader and program builder.

In 1980, Fred graduated from Kent State with his PhD and began his academic career at Ohio State University. In 1982, he moved to the University of Michigan where he directed the instructional computing facility at the medical school and later created the Laboratory for Computing, Cognition, and Clinical Skills. His pioneering psychometric work on the validity of patient management problems as a clinical reasoning assessment technique laid the groundwork for the use of “efficiency” measures rather than “proficiency” measures as the basis for scoring performance.

Fred’s 1986 monograph on meta-analysis is widely cited and widely used as an introductory text. He undertook a sabbatical at the UK Cochrane Centre in 1995. Sir Iain Chalmers, the Founding Director of the UKCC, noted that ‘Fred was a greatly appreciated and relatively rare US supporter of The Cochrane Collaboration in its early days'. Following his sabbatical he became an active participant in The Cochrane Collaboration. Several of his meta-analyses and Cochrane systematic reviews are highly cited, including reviews documenting that continuing education programs that include interactive, hands-on training are more likely to change physician practice, and that asthma self-management education and training program have positive effects on children’s and adolescent’s quality of life.

Fred’s 1985 JAMA article on heuristics and biases in clinical reasoning is cited in Jerome Groopman’s best-selling book on How Doctors Think as one of two articles to read “for those interested in the Bayesian approach” to decision making. Teaming up with Chuck Friedman and Arthur Elstein, Fred was a key partner in the “Three Amigos” studies of diagnostic proficiency and computer-based clinical decision support, which resulted in several important publications in the Journal of the American Medical Informatics Association, JAMA, and the Journal of General Internal Medicine.

In 1997, Fred moved from Michigan to the University of Washington, as chair of the Department of Medical Education and Biomedical Informatics. In Seattle, Fred played a critical role in fostering academic Biomedical and Health Informatics at the University of Washington, guiding the department to become a nationally prominent center for research and training. After 13 years as Department Chair, Fred stepped down in 2012 to focus on his own research and teaching which included two very popular courses on evidence based medicine, systematic reviews and meta-analysis. “The foundation [Wolf] laid during his 20 years at UW allowed both biomedical informatics and medical education at UW to grow to their full potential,” said Peter Tarczy-Hornoch, current Chair of the Department of Medical Education and Biomedical Informatics. Fred’s work extended beyond his home department; he was recognized with adjunct professorships in the Departments of Epidemiology, Health Services, and Pharmacy.

Fred brought to his battle with cancer the same energy and tenacity he brought to his academic work. Through an autologous bone marrow transplant and later an unrelated donor transplant, he successfully fought cancer for over a decade—all the while being a wonderful husband to his wife Leora and parent to his three children.

As a scholar, leader, mentor, battler, husband, and parent, Fred was and will ever remain an inspiration for all of us.

Sincerely,

Beth Devine and Jeremy Grimshaw

Members, SRSM

Some of Dr. Fred Wolf’s Notable Publications

Agapova M, Devine EB, Nguyen H, Wolf FM, Inoue LY. Using indirect comparisons to compare interventions within a Cochrane review: a tool for comparative effectiveness research. J Comp Eff Res. 2014 Jul;3(4):345-357.
PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25275232
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2217/cer.14.29

Wolf F, Hobby R, Lowry S, Bauman A, Franza BR, Lin B, et al. Education and data-intensive science in the beginning of the 21st century. OMICS 2011 Apr;15(4):217-219.

PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21476844
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1089/omi.2011.0009

Emerson GB, Warme WJ, Wolf FM, Heckman JD, Brand RA, Leopold SS. Testing for the presence of positive-outcome bias in peer review: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Intern Med. 2010 Nov 22;170(21):1934-1939.
PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21098355
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinternmed.2010.406

Deshazo JP, Lavallie DL, Wolf FM. Publication trends in the medical informatics literature: 20 years of "Medical Informatics" in MeSH. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2009 Jan 21;9:7-6947-9-7.
PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19159472
Free Full Text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2652453/pdf/1472-6947-9-7.pdf
DOI: http://dx.doi.org./10.1186/1472-6947-9-7.

Cunningham MR, Warme WJ, Schaad DC, Wolf FM, Leopold SS. Industry-funded positive studies not associated with better design or larger size. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 2007 Apr;457:235-241.
PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17195818
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/BLO.0b013e3180312057

Lynch JR, Cunningham MRA, Warme WJ, Schaad DC, Wolf FM, Leopold SS. Commercially funded and United States-based research is more likely to be published; good-quality studies with negative outcomes are not. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 2007 May;89(5):1010-1018.

PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17473138
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.2106/JBJS.F.01152.

Friedman CP, Gatti GG, Franz TM, Murphy GC, Wolf FM, Heckerling PS, et al. Do physicians know when their diagnoses are correct? Implications for decision support and error reduction. J Gen Intern Med. 2005 Apr;20(4):334-339.

PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15857490
Free Full Text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1490097/
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1525-1497.2005.30145.x

Guevara JP, Berlin JA, Wolf FM. Meta-analytic methods for pooling rates when follow-up duration varies: a case study. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2004 Jul 12;4:17.

PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15248899
Free Full Text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC481068/pdf/1471-2288-4-17.pdf
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/1471-2288-4-17.

Wolf FM. Methodological quality, evidence, and Research in Medical Education (RIME); Acad Med. 2004;79(10):S68-9.
PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15383394

Wolf FM, Shea JA, Albanese MA. Toward setting a research agenda for systematic reviews of evidence of the effects of medical education. Teach Learn Med. 2001 Winter;13(1):54-60.

PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11273381

Wolf FM. Lessons to be learned from evidence-based medicine: Practice and promise of evidence-based medicine and evidence-based education; Med Teach. 2000;22(3):251-259.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01421590050006214

Davis D, O'Brien MA, Freemantle N, Wolf FM, Mazmanian P, Taylor-Vaisey A. Impact of formal continuing medical education: do conferences, workshops, rounds, and other traditional continuing education activities change physician behavior or health care outcomes? JAMA 1999 Sep 1;282(9):867-874.
PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10478694
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.282.9.867.

Friedman CP, Elstein AS, Wolf FM, Murphy GC, Franz TM, Heckerling PS, et al. Enhancement of clinicians' diagnostic reasoning by computer-based consultation: a multisite study of 2 systems. JAMA 1999 Nov 17;282(19):1851-1856.

PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10573277
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.282.19.1851

Wolf FM, Miller JG, Gruppen LD, Ensminger WD. Teaching skills for accessing and interpreting information from systematic reviews/meta-analyses, practice guidelines, and the Internet; Proc AMIA Annu Fall Symp. 1997 1997 October 25-29:662-666.

PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9357708
Free Full Text: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2233330/pdf/procamiaafs00001-0696.pdf

Wolf FM. Methodological observations on bias. In: Wachter KW, Straf ML, editors. The future of meta-analysis New York, NY: Russell Sage; 1990. p. 139-151.

Wolf FM. Meta-analysis quantitative methods for research synthesis. Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications; 1986.

Wolf FM, Gruppen LD, Billi JE. Differential diagnosis and the competing-hypotheses heuristic. A practical approach to judgment under uncertainty and Bayesian probability. JAMA 1985 May 17;253(19):2858-2862.

PMID: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3989960
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jama.1985.03350430070028

Dear Cochrane community colleagues,

I am writing to inform you that after three years as Cochrane’s Head of Communications and External Affairs (CEAD), Julie Wood is leaving us to take up the position of Director of External Affairs with Vivli.

Julie has led CEAD since September 2014, developing a team that now oversees Central Executive leadership and support in the areas of communications, media and dissemination, translations, strategic partnerships, branding and events, and fundraising. More recently, she has been project lead on the launch of Cochrane’s Membership scheme and heavily involved in the development of Cochrane’s Knowledge Translation framework and new implementation plan. During her time at Cochrane, Julie was instrumental in the delivery of many critical Strategy to 2020 organizational objectives, including leading Cochrane’s re-brand, the formidable success in increasing web traffic to Cochrane.org, helping to co-ordinate and launch the first-ever Global Evidence Summit, and playing an important role in securing Cochrane’s grant of US$1.15 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation in 2016. She is a hugely respected member of the Senior Management Team and Head of Department, and we will miss her wide-ranging expertise, passionate commitment to Cochrane’s mission and influential contributions to many Central Executive activities.

Julie leaves us on September 8^th, just before the Global Evidence Summit in Cape Town, and we have decided to take this opportunity to review the current structure and the work priorities of CEAD before beginning any new recruitment processes. In the interim I’m pleased to say that Jo Anthony and Sylvia de Haan will jointly lead the CEAD team’s activities; and a detailed plan of Jo and Sylvia’s respective responsibilities will be shared with you in the next week.

I would like to thank Julie for her tireless, imaginative and inspiring work for Cochrane over the last three years. Over the next few weeks I’m sure she will speak to many of you personally to bid a fond farewell; and I know you will join me in thanking Julie for her great contribution to Cochrane and to wish her, and her family, every happiness and success for the future.

Yours sincerely,

Mark

Mark G. Wilson
Chief Executive Officer

We are looking for Cochrane Groups to host the 2020 and 2021 Cochrane Colloquia, and the 2019, 2020, and 2021 Cochrane Governance Meetings.

Call to host Cochrane Colloquia

Colloquia are Cochrane’s annual conferences, hosted each year by a different Cochrane Centre, Associate Centre, or Affiliate. Colloquia are designed to bring people together in one place to discuss, develop, and promote Cochrane’s work, as well as to shape the organization’s future direction. They are a chance for the community to get together to discuss the latest topics in evidence-based health care, and to learn about Cochrane methods through workshops and presentations.

The 2018 Colloquium will be held in Edinburgh and hosted by Cochrane UK; the 2019 Colloquium will be held Santiago, Chile and hosted by Cochrane South America. We are looking for other Cochrane Groups to host the 2020 and 2021 Colloquia.

Important information

• Deadline for submissions is 28 July 2017
• Your proposal will be put forward to the Cochrane Governing Board for decision as an Open Access paper
• You will be notified of the result in September 2017
• Cochrane Centres, Associate Centres, and Affiliates can apply. If you are an Associate Centre or Affiliate, you must supply a letter of support from your overarching Centre alongside your proposal
• All proposals must include a letter of support from your host institution and/or funders
• You are required to submit a proposed budget alongside the form
• To apply, download the application form.
   

Cochrane Governance Meetings call

Governance Meetings are Cochrane’s annual business meetings. 'Cochrane Governance Meetings' is the new name for the Cochrane Mid-Year Meeting; this name will be in use for the 2018 meetings onwards.

They are an opportunity for the Cochrane’s Governing Board, Councils, and Executives to meet and discuss the organization’s Strategy to 2020 and related targets, and how these are being developed and implemented.

Cochrane Portugal will be hosting the 2018 Governance Meetings in Lisbon. We are looking for other Cochrane Groups to host the 2019, 2020, and 2021 events.

It is important to note that Cochrane Governance Meetings must be held in Europe or an easily accessible transport hub. At a minimum, the location should be within two hours’ travelling time of an international airport.

Important information

• Your proposal will be put forward to the Cochrane Governing Board for decision as an Open Access paper
• You will be notified of the result in September 2017
• You are required to submit a proposed budget alongside the form
• All proposals must include a letter of support from your host institution and/or funders

To apply, download the application form.

Colloquium and Governance Meeting hosts are given support from the Cochrane Executive Team throughout the organization and hosting of the event.

If you would like to arrange a call with Holly Millward, Cochrane’s Event Support Officer, to discuss your proposal, please email hmillward@cochrane.org to arrange a time.

Please submit all proposals and support documentation to Holly Millward by 28 July 2017.