Quality-control analytical methods: continuous quality improvement

It is vital that all compounding pharmacies have a continuous quality improvement program in place by way of standard operating procedures to assure that patients receive high-quality preparations. The program should take into consideration any federal and state regulatory requirements, as well as professional association expectations. Quality control measurements and regular review of those measurements are the foundations of a good quality plan. All pharmacy personnel should be aware of the importance of reporting potential internal quality concerns or problems and should be encouraged to do so without fear of repercussions. Ideally, an error-free compounding pracitice would be the goal. Since this is not practical, quality issues should not be viewed as problems, but as opportunities to improve compounding practices by correcting, before they become pervasive, the processes used in the preparation of prescriptions.