Method for evaluating drug information systems.

A method for evaluating drug information systems is described. The method measures both qualitative and quantitative performance. For the categories, "Basic Therapeutic Information", and "Commercial and Investigational Product Information," specific data that should be present are identified; evaluated systems are searched for these data related to a standard sample of 122 drugs. Systems are also searched for the presence of any information relating to these drugs in the categories, "Applied Clinical Research Information" and "Nonclinical Laboratory Research Information". In addition, systems are searched for the presence of 215 drug-drug interactions and 244 drug-laboratory test interferences. Using relative weights that have been assigned to the content statistics, an aggregate measure of system's content is determined. The method also measures annual cost of operating a system. The application of the method to two drug information systems is discussed briefly.