This Expert Insight explores the use of UpToDate in medical education and clinical practice with Dr. Mesut Yilmaz, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology at Medipol University, Türkiye.
Physicians in Türkiye navigate a range of emerging challenges and need to stay on top of the latest clinical guidelines, research, and expert insights. After the 2023 earthquake, the country has increased its commitment to supporting public health, including addressing the spread of infectious disease [1].
Prof. Dr. Mesut Yilmaz, Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology at Medipol University, has witnessed the impact this progress personally, an experience that has only deepened his belief in the value of integrating UpToDate® into medical practice and education across the country. Dr. Yilmaz understands that access to cutting edge research and clinical guidelines has a direct and positive impact on the quality of patient care when it’s needed the most.
Exploring the importance of UpToDate in medical education with Dr. Yilmaz
Q: Can you expound on your role and how you’ve incorporated UpToDate into your practice?
Dr. Mesut Yilmaz: I’ve used UpToDate since my residency in 2003. Now, as a professor of infectious diseases and clinical microbiology at Istanbul Medipol University, it’s critical to my role in heading medical education. UpToDate is integral to the work of our entire department and serves as a go-to resource for accessing evidence-based information and making informed, productive decisions.
We use it across our curriculum but it starts in our clinical classes, where we emphasize the importance of the tool for all clinicians. By the time students are in their final years, I expect them to openly refer to UpToDate when answering discussion questions. We encourage them to say, “This is what UpToDate advises,” since this ensures they’re working with the most current and reliable information available.
Our graduates are often concerned about losing access to UpToDate after they leave Medipol because it has become such an essential tool.
Q: What are the benefits of using UpToDate in patient care and medical education?
Dr. Mesut Yilmaz: Using UpToDate directly improves the quality of patient care since it provides immediate access to the most recent clinical guidelines and research. The reason this happens is because it supports highly informed decision-making, helping reduce variability of care and ensuring clinicians are practicing at the cutting edge of their fields.
Q: What do you believe sets UpToDate apart from other clinical resources?
Dr. Mesut Yilmaz: UpToDate’s reliability and user-friendly interface are two of the key benefits of using the tool in patient care. This is because leading experts peer review its content. But beyond this, the interface now offers language support, expanding the diversity of clinicians who will find it useful. On the back end, it integrates well with EHRs in many countries, making it indispensable in medical education and practice.
Q: How do you see UpToDate evolving as healthcare continues to change?
Dr. Mesut Yilmaz: I think UpToDate will include even more features and possibly even expand the personalized recommendations it offers, especially through integrated telemedicine platforms. There’s also definitely potential with AI, which could allow users to interact more dynamically with the tool by asking questions or identifying ways to reduce unnecessary tests and procedures.
Q: Have you seen any stand out stories or memorable experiences using UpToDate?
Dr. Mesut Yilmaz: We once had a particularly complex case of a severe infection. The treatment plan required a deep understanding of drug interactions and the most recent research. Thanks to UpToDate, our team was able to quickly pull the latest information and immediately adjust the patient’s treatment plan.
This is just one of many examples of how the kind of evidence-based information UpToDate offers can be a game changer in patient care.
You need UpToDate in your daily practice. With the growing complexity of drug interactions, research, and developments in the medical field, it’s simply impossible to remember every detail that our patients need.
Q: What advice would you give to other healthcare professionals about the growing importance of UpToDate in medical education and practice?
Dr. Mesut Yilmaz: You need UpToDate in your daily practice. With the growing complexity of drug interactions, research, and developments in the medical field, it’s simply impossible to remember every detail that our patients need.
A reliable resource like UpToDate supports your decision-making with the latest evidence in a way that reduces professional errors and even helps mitigate the financial burden of the range of additional resources and subscriptions that you would need to replicate the benefits that UpToDate offers.
Q: How satisfied are you overall with your experience with UpToDate?
Dr. Mesut Yilmaz: I can’t overstate the positive experience I’ve had. It’s been a reliable resource across decades of my career and I’m delighted to see how it’s expanded as an indispensable tool – for me in my clinical responsibilities and teaching, and for my students and future doctors that serve the people of Türkiye.
Q: How can the widespread use of UpToDate improve overall health outcomes in Türkiye?
Dr. Mesut Yilmaz: Our health system struggles under the weight of unnecessary tests and procedures. UpToDate is incredibly useful in addressing this not only by reducing the need for tests, but also streamlining clinical decision making and enhancing efficiency. The end result is improved patient care and enhanced cost efficiency.
Ideally, I would like to see UpToDate considered at a more systemic level, even for the Ministry of Health so that it’s accessible to physicians in our state hospitals. These organizations are in dire need of financial efficiency and UpToDate can reduce the reliance on disparate resources and subscriptions to improve the overall financial health of the system.
The transformative impact of UpToDate on medical education
As more medical education institutions in Türkiye implement UpToDate, more of the country will benefit from evidence-based resources. In the future, with UpToDate’s potential to expand its features, expect to see the tool evolve in ways that further support all levels of health professionals in the country.
- Learn how UpToDate enables clinicians through clinical decision support
<https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/solutions/uptodate>
About Prof. Dr. Mesut Yilmaz Prof. Dr. Mesut Yilmaz serves as the Head of the Department of Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology at Medipol University’s Faculty of Medicine. He holds responsibilities as a Vice Dean and is involved in myriad areas of research including pharmacology, toxicology, and general medicine.
He is a medical school graduate of Marmara University, Istanbul and from 2007 to 2009, served as an infectious diseases consultant and clinical microbiologist in several private healthcare institutions.
References:
- https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(23)00362-6/abstract
The original interview is published here:
https://www.wolterskluwer.com/en/expert-insights/transforming-medical-education-with-uptodate-with-prof-dr-mesut-yilmaz
