As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 26, 2000
                                                   Registration No. 333-________


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                      ------------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                      ------------------------------------

                               DAOU SYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            DELAWARE                                   33-0284454
(State or other jurisdiction of            (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)

        5120 SHOREHAM PLACE                             92122
        SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA                         (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)

                    DAOU SYSTEMS, INC. 1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                JAMES T. ROBERTO
                      PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                               DAOU SYSTEMS, INC.
                               5120 SHOREHAM PLACE
                           SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92122
                                 (619) 452-2221
                      (Name, address, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

                                 WITH A COPY TO:

                                   ALAN HARVEY
                                BAKER & MCKENZIE
                        1301 MCKINNEY STREET, SUITE 3300
                              HOUSTON, TEXAS 77010
                                 (713) 427-5000
                      ------------------------------------
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<S>                                   <C>               <C>                  <C>                  <C>
===================================== ================= ==================== ==================== ==================

       TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF                            PROPOSED MAXIMUM     PROPOSED MAXIMUM        AMOUNT OF
          SECURITIES TO BE              AMOUNT TO BE    OFFERING PRICE PER   AGGREGATE OFFERING     REGISTRATION
           REGISTERED (1)              REGISTERED (1)      SECURITY (2)           PRICE (2)              FEE
------------------------------------- ----------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------------------

Common Stock, $.001 par value per     1,000,000 Shares        $ 35/64             $546,875             $137.00
share
===================================== ================= ==================== ==================== ==================
</TABLE>
(1)      These shares represent shares of common stock of DAOU Systems,
         Inc. (the "Company"), $.001 par value per share (the "Common Stock"),
         which have come available for issuance under the DAOU Systems, Inc.
         1996 Stock Option Plan, as amended (the "Plan"), as a result of an
         amendment approved by the Company's stockholders at the Annual Meeting
         of Stockholders held May 31, 2000 increasing the number of shares
         subject to the Plan from 4,000,000 to 5,000,000. Pursuant to Rule 416
         promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
         "Securities Act"), there are also being registered such additional
         shares of Common Stock as may become issuable pursuant to the
         anti-dilution provisions of the Plan.

(2)      Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration
         fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) promulgated under the Securities
         Act on the basis of the average of the high and low sale prices of the
         Common Stock on December 20, 2000, as reported on the Nasdaq Stock
         Market.


          THE 1,000,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK REGISTERED HEREBY ARE BEING
REGISTERED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED SHARES OF COMMON STOCK AVAILABLE
FOR ISSUANCE UNDER THE PLAN. PURSUANT TO INSTRUCTION E OF FORM S-8, THE CONTENTS
OF THE COMPANY'S REGISTRATION STATEMENTS ON FORM S-8 AS FILED WITH SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JUNE 20, 1997, REGISTRATION NO. 333-29745, AND JULY
24, 1998, REGISTRATION NO. 333-59795, ARE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.

<PAGE>

                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on December 22, 2000.


                                 DAOU SYSTEMS, INC.



                                 By:    /s/ JAMES T. ROBERTO
                                        --------------------------------------
                                 Name:  JAMES T. ROBERTO
                                 Title: President and Chief Executive Officer


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated. Each person whose signature appears below
hereby authorizes and appoints Georges J. Daou and James T. Roberto, and each of
them, either one of whom may act without joinder of the other, as his
attorney-in-fact to sign on his behalf individually and in the capacity stated
below all amendments and post-effective amendments to this Registration
Statement as that attorney-in-fact may deem necessary or appropriate.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                SIGNATURE                                        TITLE                            DATE
               -----------                                     ---------                        ---------

<S>                                         <C>                                               <C>
/s/ GEORGES J. DAOU                         Chairman of the Board                             December 22, 2000
---------------------------------------
GEORGES J. DAOU



/s/ JAMES T. ROBERTO                        President, Chief Executive Officer, and           December 22, 2000
---------------------------------------
JAMES T. ROBERTO                            Director (Principal Executive Officer)



/s/ NEIL R. CASSIDY                         Executive Vice President, Chief Financial         December 22, 2000
---------------------------------------
NEIL R. CASSIDY                             Officer, and Secretary (Principal Financial
                                            and Accounting Officer)


                                            Director                                          December 22, 2000
---------------------------------------
DAVID W. JAHNS




                                            Director                                          December 22, 2000
---------------------------------------
KEVIN M. FICKENSCHER




/s/ LARRY D. GRANDIA                        Director                                          December 22, 2000
---------------------------------------
LARRY D. GRANDIA
</TABLE>


                                      -3-
<PAGE>

                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT
NUMBER        DESCRIPTION
--------      -----------
    5.1       Opinion of Baker & McKenzie

   23.1       Consent of Baker & McKenzie (included in Exhibit 5.1)

   23.2       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

   23.3       Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP

   24.1       Power of Attorney (see signature pages of Registration Statement)
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "0001.txt", "description": "FORM S-8 STOCK OPTION PLAN", "secsgml_size_bytes": 7898}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "DAOU SYSTEMS INC", "cik": "0001003989", "assigned-sic": "5990", "irs-number": "330284454", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-52716", "film-number": "795422"}, "business-address": {"street1": "5120 SHOREHAM PL", "city": "SAN DIEGO", "state": "CA", "zip": "92122", "phone": "8584522221"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "5120 SHOREHAM PL", "city": "SAN DIEGO", "state": "CA", "zip": "92122"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 26, 2000
                                                   Registration No. 333-________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                      ------------------------------------

                                    FORM S-8
             REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                      ------------------------------------

                               DAOU SYSTEMS, INC.
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

            DELAWARE                                   33-0284454
(State or other jurisdiction of            (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)
incorporation or organization)

        5120 SHOREHAM PLACE                             92122
        SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA                         (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)

                    DAOU SYSTEMS, INC. 1996 STOCK OPTION PLAN
                            (Full title of the plan)

                                JAMES T. ROBERTO
                      PRESIDENT AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
                               DAOU SYSTEMS, INC.
                               5120 SHOREHAM PLACE
                           SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA 92122
                                 (619) 452-2221
                      (Name, address, and telephone number,
                   including area code, of agent for service)

                                 WITH A COPY TO:

                                   ALAN HARVEY
                                BAKER & MCKENZIE
                        1301 MCKINNEY STREET, SUITE 3300
                              HOUSTON, TEXAS 77010
                                 (713) 427-5000
                      ------------------------------------
                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===================================== ================= ==================== ==================== ==================

       TITLE OF EACH CLASS OF                            PROPOSED MAXIMUM     PROPOSED MAXIMUM        AMOUNT OF
          SECURITIES TO BE              AMOUNT TO BE    OFFERING PRICE PER   AGGREGATE OFFERING     REGISTRATION
           REGISTERED (1)              REGISTERED (1)      SECURITY (2)           PRICE (2)              FEE
------------------------------------- ----------------- -------------------- -------------------- ------------------

Common Stock, $.001 par value per     1,000,000 Shares        $ 35/64             $546,875             $137.00
share
===================================== ================= ==================== ==================== ==================
(1)      These shares represent shares of common stock of DAOU Systems,
         Inc. (the "Company"), $.001 par value per share (the "Common Stock"),
         which have come available for issuance under the DAOU Systems, Inc.
         1996 Stock Option Plan, as amended (the "Plan"), as a result of an
         amendment approved by the Company's stockholders at the Annual Meeting
         of Stockholders held May 31, 2000 increasing the number of shares
         subject to the Plan from 4,000,000 to 5,000,000. Pursuant to Rule 416
         promulgated under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
         "Securities Act"), there are also being registered such additional
         shares of Common Stock as may become issuable pursuant to the
         anti-dilution provisions of the Plan.

(2)      Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration
         fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) and (h) promulgated under the Securities
         Act on the basis of the average of the high and low sale prices of the
         Common Stock on December 20, 2000, as reported on the Nasdaq Stock
         Market.

          THE 1,000,000 SHARES OF COMMON STOCK REGISTERED HEREBY ARE BEING
REGISTERED TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED SHARES OF COMMON STOCK AVAILABLE
FOR ISSUANCE UNDER THE PLAN. PURSUANT TO INSTRUCTION E OF FORM S-8, THE CONTENTS
OF THE COMPANY'S REGISTRATION STATEMENTS ON FORM S-8 AS FILED WITH SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION ON JUNE 20, 1997, REGISTRATION NO. 333-29745, AND JULY
24, 1998, REGISTRATION NO. 333-59795, ARE INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE.
SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the
Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all
of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in the City of San Diego, State of California, on December 22, 2000.

                                 DAOU SYSTEMS, INC.

                                 By:    /s/ JAMES T. ROBERTO
                                        --------------------------------------
                                 Name:  JAMES T. ROBERTO
                                 Title: President and Chief Executive Officer

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

      Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this
Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated. Each person whose signature appears below
hereby authorizes and appoints Georges J. Daou and James T. Roberto, and each of
them, either one of whom may act without joinder of the other, as his
attorney-in-fact to sign on his behalf individually and in the capacity stated
below all amendments and post-effective amendments to this Registration
Statement as that attorney-in-fact may deem necessary or appropriate.
SIGNATURE                                        TITLE                            DATE
               -----------                                     ---------                        ---------
/s/ GEORGES J. DAOU                         Chairman of the Board                             December 22, 2000
---------------------------------------
GEORGES J. DAOU

/s/ JAMES T. ROBERTO                        President, Chief Executive Officer, and           December 22, 2000
---------------------------------------
JAMES T. ROBERTO                            Director (Principal Executive Officer)

/s/ NEIL R. CASSIDY                         Executive Vice President, Chief Financial         December 22, 2000
---------------------------------------
NEIL R. CASSIDY                             Officer, and Secretary (Principal Financial
                                            and Accounting Officer)

                                            Director                                          December 22, 2000
---------------------------------------
DAVID W. JAHNS

                                            Director                                          December 22, 2000
---------------------------------------
KEVIN M. FICKENSCHER

/s/ LARRY D. GRANDIA                        Director                                          December 22, 2000
---------------------------------------
LARRY D. GRANDIA
-3-
EXHIBIT INDEX

EXHIBIT
NUMBER        DESCRIPTION
--------      -----------
    5.1       Opinion of Baker & McKenzie

   23.1       Consent of Baker & McKenzie (included in Exhibit 5.1)

   23.2       Consent of Ernst & Young LLP

   23.3       Consent of Deloitte & Touche LLP

   24.1       Power of Attorney (see signature pages of Registration Statement)