The transition to medication system performance indicators

Economic and competitive pressures in the health care market are causing hospitals and other health care providers to seek more effective ways to improve the quality of care and to decrease costs. Integrating total quality management and continuous quality improvement techniques into traditional drug use evaluation methodology allows for the development of critical performance indicators. These indicators integrate the selection, use, delivery methods, and outcomes of drug therapy with other operational therapeutic modalities. The article describes the development of medication system performance indicators using heparin dosing as a model.