Check it out: A practical tool for improving medication safety

Objective: To recommend incorporation of a prospective drug utilization review (DUR) checklist into the routine processing of prescription orders in the community practice setting to improve the quality and safety of pharmaceutical care. Practice innovation: We proposed a checklist that was designed to include all the elements of a prospective DUR required by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (OBRA '90) and most pharmacy practice acts. Conclusion: If properly incorporated into workflow and supported by company policies and procedures, a simple DUR checklist like that proposed in this study could significantly improve the quality of pharmacists' prospective DUR activities and the safety of medication therapy provided to patients. We also recommend that future quality metrics be created and implemented to ensure that pharmacists consistently perform this key professional responsibility.