IPSWICH, Mass. — July 16, 2015. The Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra/Coimbra Hospital and University Centre (CHUC) in Portugal is the first hospital in southern Europe to implement PlumX, a research metrics tool from Plum Analytics, an EBSCO company. CHUC is using PlumX to measure and analyze the impact of its medical research, with emphasis on the online activity associated with articles published by its researchers. CHUC is confident that PlumX metrics will serve to enhance the hospital's credibility as a research institution on an international level.
Dr. Helena Donato, Documentation Service Director at CHUC, said that the hospital has sought ways to track research impact in ways other than just ‘traditional' research metrics. She envisions using PlumX to gauge mentions and usage of CHUC research in social media and other online avenues – as they happen. "We want to monitor in real time the online activity around our scientific research by tracking metrics such as downloads, number of readers, discussion and comments in social networks," Dr. Donato said, noting that PlumX is the best tool with which to evaluate the scientific impact of CHUC's hospital research center without the delays associated with other research impact tools. "Measuring only traditional citations and the impact factor doesn't give a complete picture of the impact of clinical medical research."
Dr. Donato and her colleagues see great value in the ability of PlumX metrics to raise the international profile of CHUC and afford exposure to its research output quickly, due to the instantaneous feedback the metrics provide for research articles. "We want to achieve greater international visibility and recognition by our peers. Using PlumX metrics, we expect to disseminate the impact of our clinical research more quickly and effectively."
About the Centro Hospitalar e Universitário de Coimbra / Coimbra Hospital and University Centre
Coimbra Hospital and University Center (CHUC) is the largest Portuguese hospital of its kind, featuring a comprehensive research, teaching and patient-centered care approach. Our mission is to deliver high-quality clinical care in a context of undergraduate and postgraduate training with a strong focus on research, scientific knowledge and innovation. We offer comprehensive care across all major medical and surgical specialties. CHUC´s excellence centers ensure high standard healthcare services.
CHUC represents a major part of Coimbra Health Ecosystem. The Centro Region of Portugal, with Coimbra as a strategic core, is one of 32 reference sites for active and healthy aging recognized by the European Union. This distinction is the result of a unique ecosystem which is conducive to the development of best practices in the healthcare associated with active and healthy aging, founded on the axes of Education/Innovation/Research.
CHUC is an associate partner of InnoSTARS, EIT Health KIC (Knowledge and Innovation Communities) and has major partnerships with several biotech and IT companies, making it CHUC a pioneer in healthcare innovation.
