Drug usage review sample studies in long-term care facilities

The usage of 10 drugs in five long-term care facilities was reviewed to evaluate the effectiveness of a five-step systematic method of drug usage review. Medical care evaluation sample studies are required under the Medicare and Medicaid programs, and drug usage review sample studies may satisfy this requirement. The five-step method involved selection of the health problem to be studied; development of criteria of care; measurement of specific performance data and comparison with the criteria; establishment of the audit committee evaluation process; and design and implementation of educational activities. In each facility, data were collected on abstract sheets designed to indicate when a patient's drug usage did not conform to criteria established by a committee of health professionals. Incidents of nonconformance were then examined. The largest number of exceptions to the criteria related to monitoring the effectiveness of drug therapy. Data by drug revealed higher nonconformance rates for digoxin, hydrochlorothiazide, methyldopa and thioridazine. A small number of exceptions was found in drug administration, indicating that the patients were receiving medications as ordered and that few errors were made in transcribing. This systematic approach to identifying drug usage patterns can be used by pharmacists to coordinate sample studies and to fulfill their consultant role in long-term facilities required by federal regulations.