The document discusses the importance of developing PICO questions as a foundational step in the evaluation process, emphasizing that researchers need to clearly define the population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes. It outlines the need for a focused and effective evaluation guided by these questions, and provides instructions for writing an essay that includes a PICO question based on a prior evaluation plan. Additionally, it lists required readings and resources to support the development of relevant evaluation questions.

1. Developing PICO Questions
Determining the topic of an evaluation is one of the most
important steps of the evaluation process. In the process of
selecting a topic for evaluation, researchers should reflect on
what information needs to be gathered and how it will be used.
A PICO question can provide the foundation for this process.
The PICO question requires researchers to determine the
population to be studied, select the intervention that occurred or
will occur (such as a new system), have a baseline with which
to compare the evaluation, and finally, have a standard to
measure the outcome of the project. Using a PICO question as a
guideline helps ensure the evaluation is focused and effective.
In this Discussion, you generate a PICO question that
corresponds to the Evaluation Plan Focus you developed last
week.
To prepare:
Develop a PICO question based on the Evaluation Plan Focus
Assignment completed last week.
Reflect on why it is important that this question be answered.
Identify the “who cares?” factor.
By Day tomorrow 12/28/2016, write a minimum of 550 words
essay in APA format with a minimum of 3 reference from the
list provided below. Include the level one headings as numbered
below:
1)
Post
a summary of key points (evaluation goal, viewpoint, and
model) from your Evaluation Plan Focus Assignment.
2)

2. Post your PICO question. Explain why you developed this
question, and why it is important to be considered.
Required Readings
Friedman, C. P., & Wyatt, J. C. (2010). Evaluation methods in
biomedical informatics (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Springer
Science+Business Media, Inc.
Chapter 3, “Determining What to Study” (pp. 48–84)
This chapter focuses on how to identify the relevant questions
to cover in an evaluation and how to ensure that the scope of the
question is appropriate. It includes a description of different
types of evaluations, including what they specifically focus on
and the general type of questions they address.
Gschwandtner, T., Kaiser, K., & Miksch, S. (2011). Information
requisition is the core of guideline-based medical care: Which
information is needed for whom? Journal of Evaluation in
Clinical Practice, 17(4), 713–721.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article describes the construction of a comprehensive
information source to be used in the development of
computerized clinical practice guideline (CPG). The authors
emphasize how the information source is designed to meet the
informational requirements of anyone developing a CPG for any
user group.

3. Lin, J. W., Chang, C. H., Lin, M. W., Ebell, M. H., & Chiang, J.
H. (2011). Automating the process of critical appraisal and
assessing the strength of evidence with information extraction
technology. Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 17(4),
832–838.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
The authors of this article explain a study that sought to create
and evaluate a system to automatically determine a medical
article’s evidence level. The authors describe the accuracy of
the system and speculate on the causes of errors.
Swennen, M. H. J., vander Heijden, G. J. M. G., Blijham, G. H.,
& Kalkman, C. J. (2011). Career stage and work setting create
different barriers for evidence-based medicine. Journal of
Evaluation in Clinical Practice, 17(4), 775–785.
Retrieved from the Walden Library databases.
This article describes a study that examines how a doctor’s
career stage and work setting are related to their perceptions of
barriers to practicing evidence-based medicine (EBM). The
authors also provide a framework for classifying the identified
barriers.
Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (n.d.e). PICO question.

4. Retrieved from CDN database. (NURS 6431)
This animation describes the basics of formulating a PICO
question. The animation provides an example scenario of
effectively generating a PICO question.
Optional Resources
Alliance for Health Reform. (2013). Health Information
Technology. Retrieved from
http://www.allhealth.org/issues.asp?wi=4
American Health Information Management Association.
Retrieved from http://www.ahima.org/
Healthcare Information and Management Systems. (2013).
Retrieved from
http://www.himss.org/
Kaiser.edu. (n.d.). Health information technology. Retrieved
from http://kff.org/health-reform/issue-brief/building-an-
information-technology-foundation-for-health/

5. National Center for Biotechnology Information. (n.d.). Health
services/technology assessment texts (HSTAT). Retrieved from
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK16710/