Providing financial justification to support a stand-alone computer system in a large tertiary-care hospital.

An assessment of the pharmacy's needs and an evaluation of the pharmacy's batch-oriented data processing system supported the acquisition of a new computer system to meet the pharmacy's requirements in the areas of: Medication order entry Response time Capability to interface a materials management system Capability to interface to a patient billing program Development of an audit trail for patient charges Management reports Flexibility for future needs Conversion from a dated batch-oriented system to a medication on-line computerization system has provided enhanced benefits in the areas of fiscal accountability, inventory management, improved quality of pharmaceutical services (drug distribution and drug therapy monitoring), and employee productivity.