Identifying and prioritizing the needed reforms at the hospital information system from the users’ perspective: A Case Study in Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad in 2015

Introduction: Inevitable benefits of hospital information systems (HIS) has led the hospital processes to be highly depended on it. Accordingly, the analysis of these systems is necessary. This study aimed at Identifying and prioritizing the needed reforms at the HIS from the users’ perspective in Imam Reza hospital in Mashhad.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional descriptive study. Initially, using the literature review and focus group discussion, a list of functional capabilities for evaluating HIS was made. Then, these capabilities were reviewed and rated according to two aspects: presence or absence of capabilities and the level of importance. Finally, these HIS capabilities were divided into six general categories: from the first class priorities (capabilities that not exist and have a high importance) to the sixth class priorities (capabilities that exist appropriately but have a low importance). Therefore, subsystems that needed the most improvement were identified.

Results: In the first phase of the study, 651 capabilities were identified. Among these capabilities, about 48% were put in the first priority class to establish and upgrade the system.  These capabilities were absent in the current HIS of Imam Reza hospital. About 30% of the reviewed capabilities were in a suitable condition.

Conclusion: The ongoing developments in information technology in hospitals has made HIS improvements in them inevitable. Among the requirements for Imam Reza hospital were planning for the development of HIS for subsystems such as: hospital personnel information, decision support system, telemedicine, reporting to the management and HIS management.