"Finally, one site with a variety of information needed for the day-to-day work of diagnostic microbiologists and immunologists," stated J. Michael Miller, Ph.D., D(ABMM). ASM's Clinical Microbiology web portal, http://clinmicro.asm.org, was launched last month under Miller's guidance.

The development of the Clinical Microbiology Portal was overseen by the Clinical Microbiology Task Force (CMTF), and Miller was charged with chairing a working group (see box) to develop the site. "One website that hosts all of ASM's clinical and external relevant content will be extremely valuable to ASM members," opined Joseph M. Campos, Ph.D., D(ABMM). Miller's methodical approach was designed with the busy user in mind. He posed questions to the working group to identify what the users need and want. A few of the questions discussed were-

In order to conduct day-to-day operations, laboratorians often need:

To get information on organism-specific questions, technologists need:

To get help interpreting culture results and their clinical relevance, it would be nice to have:

For management questions, we look to:

The group's responses defined the content and structure of the portal. Its content is for bench technologists, supervisors, lab directors, students, and fellows. As development progressed, it became apparent that general information about clinical microbiology and the profession would be valuable. "We can use the portal to educate people about clinical microbiology and its intrinsic value to public health," remarked Miller. "Hopefully, it will raise the visibility of our profession and be an educational resource."

The ability to access expert opinions, connect with colleagues, and network are among the portal's highlights. ASM previously hosted "AskIt," which allowed members to ask questions that were answered by an expert. The AskIt software did not keep up with technology and subsequently outgrew members' needs. It was shut down a few months ago, and the accurate content was imported to the portal and is now called "Q & A." Q & A allows users to submit a question and receive an answer or search a database of questions that have already been answered. Q & A also offers users the ability to post a comment on an answer allowing users to share additional information.

The portal is not a static site, and user feedback will ensure that it remains dynamic. Throughout the development process, the focus has been on ensuring the portal is flexible so it can quickly respond to constructive suggestions by its users and to changes in the field. User feedback and comments will drive how the portal evolves to ensure it meets their needs. The breadth of content currently available on the portal is extensive and includes links to countless resources, including ProMed Mail, Q-Probes, Dr. Fungus, and FDA-Approved Devices. However, over time the content will expand as new resources become available and users identify new needs.

Another ever-changing feature is the content of the landing page. It provides updates on the science, ASM, public policy as it pertains to the lab and public health, and what's new to the portal. Centralizing this information will keep users informed, and the weekly updates on scientific advances will give them one more reason to visit. A calendar is also available, and users are encouraged to submit upcoming events to share with others. Next month, a live blog will be added to the portal. This interactive format will allow users and experts to discuss hot topics at a particular date and time. The discussion will be archived on the portal and available to those who are not able to participate during the live discussion.

The evaluation of the portal and its content will be ongoing. We will continue to look for ways to make it even more beneficial to users and ASM members. ASM members will have access to all portal features and in time, additional content, e.g., Manual of Clinical Microbiology tables and Cumitechs, will be posted. Continuous feedback on the portal and participation in its many interactive features will ensure it meets members' needs. This is an exciting new resource for clinical microbiologists and immunologists and provides the opportunity to learn, network, connect and contribute.

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Clinical Microbiology Portal Working Group

"The working group is applauded for their important efforts and thanked for volunteering their time. As Chair of the CMTF, it is wonderful to see the portal come to fruition," stated David C. Hooper, M.D., ASM President. "The CMTF's mission was to more effectively meet the needs of ASM's clinical microbiologists. The portal makes ASM's myriad of clinical products and services more accessible and hopefully, it will become their preferred website destination," added Hooper.

J. Michael Miller (Chair)
Brent Barrett
Christopher Doern
Diane Dryja
Manjula Mudambi
Joseph M. Campos (Consultant)