Evaluation Methods in Medical Informatics

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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.