Jeremy C. Wyatt – författare

As director of a training program in medical informatics, I have found that one of the most frequent inquiries from graduate students is, "Although I am happy with my research focus and the work I have done, how can I design and carry out a practical evaluation that proves the value of my contribution?" Informatics is a multifaceted, interdisciplinary field with research that ranges from theoretical developments to projects that are highly applied and intended for near-term use in clinical settings. The implications of "proving" a research claim accordingly vary greatly depending on the details of an individual student''s goals and thesis state­ ment. Furthermore, the dissertation work leading up to an evaluation plan is often so time-consuming and arduous that attempting the "perfect" evaluation is fre­ quently seen as impractical or as diverting students from central programming or implementation issues that are their primary areas of interest. They often ask what compromises are possible so they can provide persuasive data in support of their claims without adding another two to three years to their graduate student life. Our students clearly needed help in dealing more effectively with such dilem­ mas, and it was therefore fortuitous when, in the autumn of 1991, we welcomed two superb visiting professors to our laboratories.

This 3rd edition of Evaluation Methods in Biomedical and Health Informatics has been extensively revised and expanded. It builds on a solid foundation of evaluation theory to explain methods and techniques within health informatics, using many examples, real-world case studies and numerous self-tests with answers. Expanded to 20 rather than 12 chapters, new chapters have been added on qualitative methods, ethics, mixed methods, evidence-based informatics and how to conduct evaluation studies using routine, real-world data.  Designed as a practical guide for masters and PhD students, informatics researchers and seasoned professionals seeking a comprehensive resource, this book describes health and biomedical information resource evaluation in a practical stepwise manner. Critiques and discussion of actual evaluation studies help to build the reader’s knowledge of the judicious application of the techniques described. As information and communications technologies take on increasingly central roles in self-care, healthcare, biomedical research and education, understanding how to design and carry out successful rigorous evaluation studies becomes more imperative. Evaluation Methods in Biomedical and Health Informatics is an unparalleled reference for a broad range of health information professionals and is usable as both a textbook to support formal courses and a reference book for researchers and practitioners. From those training for careers in informatics to on-site biomedical information systems staff, this is an invaluable guide to the successful evaluation of digital healthcare, eHealth, telemedicine, electronic health records and other clinical and non-clinical information systems.