Journal of Health and Biomedical Informatics

Introduction: Pharmacy Information System (PIS) is one of the subsystems of Hospital Information System (HIS) that has been designed to meet the needs of pharmacy. Assessment could improve the existing systems and make competition between companies.
Method: This cross-sectional study assesses the performance of Pharmacy Information System (PIS) in Shiraz, Iran hospitals in March 2013. Data were collected by direct observations and interviews with the users of the software. Data collection tool was a valid and reliable standard check list which consists of Hospital Information System evaluation criteria that was published by the Ministry of Health and Medical Education in December 2011. The evaluation criteria have been graded by users based on their importance. Collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Microsoft Excel software 2010.
Results: The Pharmacy Information Systems (PIS) in studied hospitals in terms of accounting and insurance capabilities were in quite desirable condition with a total average score of 40.Ware housing and reporting as well as recording of information related to drugs and medication were in acceptable condition with a total average score of 27/71 and 36/96, respectively. However, intelligent clinical capabilities with a total average score of 11/74 were in an undesirable condition. Other clinical capabilities with a total average score of 31/27 were in a relatively good condition.
Conclusion: Many of pharmacy information systems, which are the most important component of clinical support systems, have been designed for the purpose of medication management and medication costs instead of supporting clinicians in prescribing process. However, these PIS software gained the lowest score in the intelligent clinical features. Therefore, upgrading the capabilities of electronic alerts during inappropriate prescription of drug as well as clinical decision support systems and improving hospital pharmacy information system is necessary.