A microcomputer in the small-hospital pharmacy: practical uses.

The use of a microcomputer in a small-hospital pharmacy is discussed. In a 50-bed hospital, computerization of repetitive functions was achieved with a modest expense. This was done with standard and inexpensive programs and self-written software that ran on a microcomputer purchased for the pharmacy. Time savings were immediately produced, and other uses followed to allow better use of personnel. Brief descriptions of major types of software are also given. An inexpensive computer can be used to great advantage, even in very small hospitals and without expensive pharmacy-specific software.