title: Pharmacy Information Systems in Teaching Hospitals: A Multi-dimensional Evaluation Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In hospitals, the pharmacy information system (PIS) is usually a sub-system of the hospital information system (HIS). The PIS supports the distribution and management of drugs, shows drug and medical device inventory, and facilitates preparing needed reports. In this study, pharmacy information systems implemented in general teaching hospitals affiliated to medical universities in Tehran (Iran) were evaluated using a multi-dimensional tool.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an evaluation study conducted in 2015. To collect data, a checklist was developed by reviewing the relevant literature; this checklist included both general and specific criteria to evaluate pharmacy information systems. The checklist was then validated by medical informatics experts and pharmacists. The sample of the study included five PIS in general-teaching hospitals affiliated to three medical universities in Tehran (Iran). Data were collected using the checklist and through observing the systems. The findings were presented as tables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five PIS were evaluated in the five general-teaching hospitals that had the highest bed numbers. The findings showed that the evaluated pharmacy information systems lacked some important general and specific criteria. Among the general evaluation criteria, it was found that only two of the PIS studied were capable of restricting repeated attempts made for unauthorized access to the systems. With respect to the specific evaluation criteria, no attention was paid to the patient safety aspect.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The PIS studied were mainly designed to support financial tasks; little attention was paid to clinical and patient safety features.
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Information Technology and Management, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Alireza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Information Technology and Management, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rabiei
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Information Technology and Management, Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Moghaddasi
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Information Management, Nursing and Allied Health Faculty, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ghasem
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deimazar
keywords: Clinical Pharmacy Information Systems; Drug Information Services; Evaluation Studies; Hospital Information System; Medical Informatics