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HDAS – getting started

HDAS or the Healthcare Databases Advanced Search interface is a single interface allowing you to search for journal articles, research and reviews from the major healthcare-related databases AMED, BNI, Cinahl, Embase, Health Business Elite, HMIC, Medline and Psychinfo.

This database is available to NHS openathens users only.

Here are the step-by-step instructions to getting started with HDAS.

1. Start at the Health Library home page and click the Quick Links option Healthcare Resources (NHS).

Screen-shot of the Health Library home page

2. Page down until you reach the HDAS link, in the NHS Athens Tools section.

Screen-shot of the NHS resources page

3. Click the HDAS link.

Screen-shot of the HDAS link

4. You will now be on the NICE HDAS page. Any problems with Athens or any of the databases will be presented on this page.
You must log in to openathens in order to search the various databases. Click the link top-right.
Screen-shot of the HDAS page

5. Enter your Athens username and password to sign in.

Screen-shot of the athens login page

6. To run a search you must select at least one database. You can select more than one database at a time, however be aware that you will only be able to run a simple text search this way and any other options available may be limited.

Screen-shot of the main search page

7. In this example I have selected to search Medline and entered some simple search terms. The Search button only becomes active once you have made a selection.

Screen-shot of an example search

8. The details of the search are displayed in the Search History pane. The results of the last search run will be displayed further down the page. To view the results of another search in the history pane click the link “Viewing” for that search.

Screen-shot of the search history pane

9. All the articles that match your search criteria will be presented in the results list. Items that are available via NHS-subscription will include a link where you can access the full-text.

Screen-shot of search results


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