Designing and evaluating functional laboratory information system requirements integrated to hospital information systems

Rationale, aims, and objectives Laboratory information sub‐systems play an important role in diagnosis and treatment of patients. This study aimed to determine functional requirements of users and assess the existence of these requirements in the laboratory information system. Method This descriptive cross‐sectional study was conducted in 2016 in two phases. The first phase was done through three stages. First, based on an unsystematic review of related literature, an outline of functional laboratory information system requirements was identified. In the second stage, these requirements were identified in group meetings in the form of a semi‐structured questionnaire and given to experts. Then, modified Delphi technique was used to reach agreement on each item. Then, based on experts' comments, the final version of the questionnaire was presented including 61 closed‐ended items using Likert scale and an open‐ended item. It was surveyed by 50 experts using Delphi technique. Responses were scored, and the requirements whose mean final score was 3 and above were finally confirmed. In the second phase, based on the confirmed requirements, a checklist comprising 68 requirements was prepared and adopted hospital information systems were evaluated through researcher observation. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics. Results The final list of functional laboratory information system requirements was prepared with 68 items. The results of the evaluation revealed that confirmed requirements existed in 58.8% of hospital information systems. Conclusion Laboratory information system requirements were designed with 68 items. Evaluation results showed that the systems were moderate in terms of compliance with the requirements.