Objectives: The aim of the Cochrane Collaboration is to help people make better health decisions by providing accessible reviews of the effects of interventions. However, the prime vehicle of communication of the results of these reviews, The Cochrane Library, is neither widely available nor easy to understand for consumers of health care internationally. A key objective of the Consumer Network is to improve the accessibility of Cochrane reviews to consumers. A central strategy to achieve this goal has been the development of a fully integrated basic level consumer health information system for Cochrane reviews.
Methods: The consumer health information system was designed by the Consumer Network Convenor. Key components were developed in consultation with members of the Cochrane Consumer Network, the Australasian Cochrane Centre, and Cochrane review groups. The system includes: * The development of brief, plain language, standard format consumer synopses of all Cochrane reviews, incorporated in The Cochrane Library, and forming the basis of the system * A plain language coding and classification system for Cochrane reviews, used in the Consumer Network website for searching synopses and abstracts, and as the basis for an automatic notification system of new reviews * A What's New digest for consumers of new reviews on each issue of The Library, beginning with issue 2 of 2000, available on the website, by automatic e-mailing each issue on request, and in hard copy * Improving the readability of abstracts, and linking them into the consumer health information system

Results: The presentation will describe the development and evolution of the overall consumer health information system. The key components of the system will be shown, as well as the profile of those using the automatic notification system. Progress in translation into language others than English will be reported. Further plans and challenges for the system will be outlined.