HEALTH CARE QUALITY STANDARDS AND PHARMACY SERVICES

To advocate that health care quality improvement programs adopt standard quality measures that are developed with the involvement of the pharmacy workforce, are evidence-based, and promote the demonstrated role of the pharmacy workforce in improving patient outcomes.

Rationale

The pharmacy workforce is accountable for ensuring a safe and effective medication use process as an essential component of patient health and quality care standards. Healthcare quality standards and measures are used to evaluate and improve the effectiveness, safety, efficiency, and patient-centeredness of healthcare services across care settings. However, many existing quality improvement programs and measures lack meaningful pharmacy involvement in their development, implementation, and evaluation. The pharmacy workforce should advocate for the adoption of evidence-based quality measures that recognize pharmacy professionals’ contributions in patient care. Pharmacy input would promote accountability, support interprofessional collaboration, and drive improvements in medication management –  ultimately leading to better health outcomes and more efficient healthcare delivery.