The study was user survey method based, performed to get the overview of use and perceptions of health caremanagers towards Lithuanian computerized health information system as a tool for decision – making.

Aims of the study were to describe LCHIS, its inputs and potential use; to account for a surveyofpotential users, health care administrators; to discuss the need for improvement of the system and itsuse.

Methods. User survey method was applied. Literature search was performed and the questionnaire was constructed after interview with four respondents and clarification of questions. Totally 100 ofrespondents from different health care institutions were interviewed. Data was analysed using normal statistical methods, using MS Excel 2000 and statistical package SPSS 10.0 as tools.

Main results. Concerning the awareness about the existing of LCHIS, 68% of the respondents saidtheyhave heard about it and 15% said theyhave been using this system daily. As many as 68% of respondents didn’t really take care about the existence of LCHIS, while the size of respondents being satisfied and not was pretty the same. The number of satisfied with the structure was rather small ifcomparing with those partially satisfied. As many as 76% of the respondents said they haven’t been using the system at all. 24% of the respondents were satisfied with the certain groups of healthindicators within the system. Group of morbidity indicators and group of hospital activity indicatorswere among the mostly used (17% together). Almost 20% of the respondents said it was easy for them to use LCHIS; the same number of health care administrators trusted the information comingfrom LCHISand they have experienced the situation, where they have used LCHIS for planning ormanagement in current situation. As many as 82% of health care managers agreed heads or administrative staff of hospitals supposed to be the key members, who must encourage them to use the system.

Conclusions. About two thirds of health care administrators interviewed knew about LCHIS and the rest had been or were users. In the comments this group claimed they were supporting their decisions by using the systemand indicators in it. As many as 96% of the respondents stated there was a needfor statistical information and skills for dailydecision - making and managerial activities. The respondents, who used LCHIS, trusted the information in the system and found it useful in their dailywork as health managers. The main comments, why respondents didn’t use the system or didn’tknow about it, was lack of information technologies in work place, lack of computer skills and lackof support from hospital authorities