QUALITY ASSURANCE OF DRUG-THERAPY IN HOSPITALS - PATIENT SERUM CREATININE VALUES USED BY WARD PHARMACISTS IN CHECKING DOSAGE REGIMENS

A programme for the systematic adjustment of drug dosage in hospital patients with impairment of renal function is described. This programme involves the efficient identification of patients with elevated serum levels of creatinine, the checking of dosage regimens for these patients in terms of known pharmacokinetic data, and advising of medical officers when dosage regimens are in excess of those recommended, or where contraindicated drugs have been prescribed. The procedure, which has been shown to be both workable and effective in a large teaching hospital over a period of more than two years, serves as a model for quality asurance of an aspect of drug treatment with existing staff and with no additional capital costs.