Hospital pharmacy in 1991: the year in review

Issues and activities that dominated hospital pharmacy in 1991 are reviewed, and their relationship to political and economic trends of national and international importance is described. While rising costs, equitable reimbursement, and access to care continued to dominate the nation's health-care agenda in 1991, the growing interest in quality assurance was also noteworthy. Health-care reform will likely be a dominant issue during the current election year, and pharmacists are urged to play an active role in this restructuring process, both within their work settings and in their communities. Among the major concerns of hospital pharmacy in 1991 were the appropriate use of the new products of biotechnology, advances in computer and communications technology, and measuring and improving the quality of pharmaceutical care. Other issues highlighted in the literature included the need to articulate a mission statement concerning pharmaceutical care, the role of specialization in pharmacy practice, and the appropriate allocation of human resources. The literature of hospital pharmacy continues to provide insight into the progress of the profession and to serve as a benchmark that will gauge its future course.