Method: This qualitative research was conducted in 1403. First, the indicators available in the hospital's HIS system were identified and collected. Then, based on the research objectives, indicators were extracted through a literature review. Subsequently, data were collected using semi-structured and targeted interviews with stakeholders—including health system managers, policymakers, and scientific experts familiar with hospital information system indicators. Purposive sampling and then snowball sampling were used to expand the samples. All indicators were evaluated and after the interviews were transcribed, meaning-based units were determined, coded, and categorized based on similarity and symmetry. Then, themes were identified and analyzed using content analysis. Finally, an expert panel of research team members was formed to classify the indicators based on the program chain model.

Results: In this study, the indicators obtained from the current situation, literature review, and qualitative interviews with stakeholders, after eliminating repetitive and overlapping indicators, reached 471 indicators. With the formation of an expert panel and more detailed assessments, this number was reduced to 407 selected indicators that were identified as sub-themes.Based on the program chain model, they were categorized into 100 structural indicators, 101 process indicators, 95 output indicators, and 111 outcome indicators.that From the perspective of the participants in the qualitative study, eight main themes of management and leadership, administration and support, facilities and equipment, productivity, paraclinical, clinical, financial, and green indicators are effective in explaining hospital indicators with the program chain model.