Ammenwerth Elske, Iller Carola, Mansmann Ulrich
Research Group for Assessment of Health Information Systems, University for Health Informatics and Technology Tyrol (UMIT), Innrain 98, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
Int J Med Inform. 2003 Jul;70(2-3):237-48. doi: 10.1016/s1386-5056(03)00059-5.
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are increasingly being used in health care. Rigorous evaluations of ICT applications during both introduction and routine use are of great importance for decision makers and users. Within evaluation research, two main (and often rather distinct) traditions can be found: the objectivistic and the subjectivistic tradition.
The theory of triangulation deals with the integration of methods and approaches as to conduct better evaluation studies. In evaluation research, triangulation in general means the multiple employment of various sources of data, observers, methods, and/or theories in investigations of the same phenomenon. We applied triangulation aspects in the analysis of the effects of a computer-based nursing documentation system.
We discuss, based on this case study, what benefits can be obtained from applying triangulation in an evaluation study. We show how both the validation of results and the completeness of results can be supported by triangulation.
The decision whether triangulation may be useful for a given research question, and how it may be correctly applied, requires-like other evaluation methods-intensive training and methodological experience. Medical informatics evaluation research may profit from this well-established theory.
信息通信技术（ICTs）在医疗保健领域的应用日益广泛。在引入和日常使用过程中对ICT应用进行严格评估，对决策者和使用者而言至关重要。在评估研究中，可以发现两种主要（且通常截然不同）的传统：客观主义传统和主观主义传统。
三角测量理论涉及方法和途径的整合，以便开展更优的评估研究。在评估研究中，三角测量一般是指在对同一现象的调查中，多种使用各类数据来源、观察者、方法和/或理论。我们在分析基于计算机的护理记录系统的效果时应用了三角测量方法。
基于此案例研究，我们讨论了在评估研究中应用三角测量可获得哪些益处。我们展示了三角测量如何能够支持结果的验证以及结果的完整性。
与其他评估方法一样，判断三角测量对于特定研究问题是否有用以及如何正确应用，需要深入培训和方法学经验。医学信息学评估研究可能会从这一成熟的理论中受益。
