Medication use evaluation

The purpose of pharmacy administration course work is to teach pharmacy students how to design and manage medication use systems that produce optimal results for patients. In pharmacy administration courses, students learn how to conduct medication use evaluations that measure patient outcomes. They are taught how to communicate effectively with patients and with other health care providers. Pharmacy administration courses also teach ethical and legal responsibilities to monitor drug therapy and to protect patients from problems with drug therapy. 

Focused or targeted medication use evaluation follows a reasonably well-established cycle identification of a potential problem in the use of a specific drug or therapy, collection and comparison of data, determination of compliance with a pre-established guideline/expectation, and action as needed to improve discrepancies between expected and measured results. This type of medication use evaluation provides an excellent opportunity to apply the Shewhart cycle for continuous quality improvement (Figure 26.3). Focused medication use projects are typically selected for a specific reason. Table 26.4 lists reasons to consider drugs for focused evaluation projects. 

Adapted from American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. ASHP guidelines on medication-use evaluation. 

Develop medication use evaluation criteria and other quality improvement measures to assess the use of drug therapy by other providers. Design, conduct, and coordinate clinical research projects under FDA guidelines and procedures of the institutional review board. 

The CPS prescribing practices are included in the medication use evaluation process. 

Formulary system management falls into three general categories drug selection for formulary inclusion, formulary maintenance, and medication use evaluation. 

Infectious diseases pharmacists typically practice in a hospital setting that allows them to devote all their time to managing antimicrobial therapy. All aspects of infectious diseases pharmacotherapy, including interventions on antimicrobial selection, antimicrobial dosing, and intravenous-to-oral conversion are the responsibility of the infectious diseases pharmacist. In addition, the pharmacist is usually responsible for analyzing new antimicrobials for formulary inclusion, medication use evaluations, and antimicrobial restriction or therapeutic interchange policies. 

An increasing number of infectious diseases pharmacists have found a career in the pharmaceutical industry. Some initially take positions in pharmaceutical sales. Others may be hired as research associates, where they assist in the collection and analysis of data for clinical studies. More often, they are hired as medical science liaisons. These individuals interact with physician and pharmacist practitioners, where they provide drug information, grant support for research and educational efforts, assist in medication use evaluations, and give in-services to medical and pharmacy staff. 

ASHP Guidelines on Medication-Use Evaluation. ASHP Guidelines on Adverse Drug Reaction Monitor-... 

American Society of Health-System Pharmacists. ASHP guidelines on medication-use evaluation. Am. J. Heath-Syst. Pharm. 1996, 53, 1953-1955. 

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