It is clear from the definitions above, that for these guidelines we need to define first what is intended when we refer to evaluation in medical informatics and even more important to be practical. We use here a working definition derived from Friedman and Wyatt. It is not so much a definition, but more a description of its constituent parts. Evaluation as discussed here focuses on stated properties of an information system in relation with its environment. Technical verification can take place in isolation from its application environment.
Evaluation focuses on effects on the process with which the information system interacts.
It is impractical and in most cases impossible to exclude autonomous process changes from the changes through information technology. In practice, we know, this is often not the case. This is an explicit change that can ideally be accompanied by an objective Technology Assessment. In this case it is more difficult to form an explicit assessment. Evaluation cannot be part of this change process.