Evaluation Methods in Medical Informatics [Hardcover]

Charles P. Friedman (Author), Jeremy C. Wyatt (Author), E.H. Shortliffe (Foreword), A.C. Smith (Assistant), B. Kaplan (Assistant)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0387942289 | ISBN-13: 978-0387942285 | Publication Date: August 11, 2000

This book is a general reference designed for individuals from a broad range of professional backgrounds at various stages of learning about medical information systems: those training for careers in informatics, those actively conducting evaluation studies, and those responsible for information systems in medical centers. It attempts to explain why medical information resources should be studied, and why this is a challenging process. It explores the options for conducting such studies, and specifically deciding what topic to study. It also explains how to design, carry out, and/interpret a study using a particular set of techniques, how to conduct studies in the context of health care organizations, and how to communicate study designs and study results to the proper audience.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews of the second edition: "What is the difference between evaluation and research? This updated second edition provides valuable introductory material exploring the differences and similarities, and usefully covers many of the statistical and other techniques common to both. The first edition has become a standard text for many courses on the subject and for many informaticians undertaking evaluation studies in health informatics. No doubt this latest edition will be similarly popular." (Dr. Peter J. Murray, British Journal of Healthcare & Information Management, Vol. 24 (2), March, 2007) --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From the Back Cover

The BMJ said of the first edition of Evaluation Methods in Biomedical Informatics: "A landmark book, which should have a place of honour in the library of anyone seeking a deeper understanding of clinical informatics in general and evaluation in particular." Since the release of the first edition in 1996, it has become an indispensable course textbook and resource to medical informaticians, students of informatics, healthcare administrators, and health services researchers. After four reprints prompted by continuing sales, this new edition incorporates heavily updated and revised material to reflect the changing demands on today’s health information technology professional. As information technology takes on an increasingly central role in health care and biomedical research, successful and reliable methods for evaluation become more and more imperative. Evaluation Methods in Biomedical Informatics, Second Edition, is the best resource available to support discussion, development, and implementation of evaluation procedures in these settings. In addition to revision of all material carried over from its predecessor, this Second Edition includes: A new chapter on economic evaluation A completely revised and expanded chapter on qualitative evaluation at the organizational and cultural levels An extensively re-written introduction to the types of studies on biomedical information systems and technologies New scenarios and examples drawing on a wider range of application areas including bioinformatics A Web site accompanies the book and includes further material, clickable links to all Web sites cited in the book, additional links, case studies, and other tools to support evaluators, as well as updates to the book’s content. Anyone whose work requires them to design, carry out, understand or critique studies of requirements, usability, impact or side effects of information systems in health and laboratory settings will find this book invaluable. It is written to be directly usable as both a textbook for formal courses and a reference book for researchers and practitioners. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 311 pages
• Publisher: Springer (August 11, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387942289
• ISBN-13: 978-0387942285
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,191,096 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A condensed recipe to scientific evaluation methods, April 12, 2000

By 

H Umar - See all my reviews

This review is from: Evaluation Methods in Medical Informatics (Hardcover)

I've read the book about 3 times. Not because of I didn't know what else to read, but more to its condensed character in covering state-of-the-art evaluation methods valid in medical, dental, and biological sciences. The authors start with a general introduction to evaluation per se (What is it? Who needs it and Why? What makes it so difficult?) and discuss next mainly in two different parts 1) objectivists and 2) subjectivist studies giving detailed hands-on the general structure, basics of measurement, study design, conduct, and analysis of each study modalities, including methodological guidelines and a proposal quality checklist! They finaly describe the organizational evaluation and hierarchy of medical information resources as well as ethical and legal considerations during evaluation studies. References after each chapter are as standard as the self-tests to give feedback and motivation. In order to get maximum benefit the reader should be familiar with basic mathematics and biostatistics. A must for all helthcare professionals conducting research.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is an excellent book, March 9, 2007

By 

James F. Kerrison - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Evaluation Methods in Biomedical Informatics (Health Informatics) (Hardcover)

I was looking for something that had an approach to healthcare informatics evaluations, and I found what I wanted in this book. This is the second edition, so don't be put off by the title, which was revised from the first edition.

The authors of this book set out the basics of evaluation techniques very comprehensively, and backed that up with excellent examples of evaluations. Even though they modified what we might recognize as standard research methodology, (use of subjectivist and objectivist approaches, when we might use qualitative and quantitative), they explain it so well, that it is easy to follow, quite apart from providing additional information about other approaches.

I thought the key theorem they included is one that Dr. Friedman developed about the use of computers to increase the value of the outcome. That is a wonderful basis to keep in mind when undertaking evaluations. Essentially the question is, does the addition of the computer improve our knowledge?

Finally, I liked many of the practical examples that they included of studies and approaches to them.

Overall, this is a great book and a solid reference for anyone interested in the subject of healthcare systems evaluations. It is as relevant to the academic reader as to the commercial practitioner.