Pharmacist role in support of quality practices in health care system

The HR function holds a Providing high-quality, safe medical care is the primary goal of health systems. When the public is alerted to quality failures, such as preventable medication errors resulting in patient harm or death, concerns about the quality of healthcare arise. As experts in medication delivery, pharmacists play an integral role in preventing and managing medication errors; however, ensuring safety in the health system is a team effort. Pharmacists need to broaden their responsibilities by taking on roles in quality and performance improvement projects. Pharmacists are well positioned to assist the healthcare system in improving quality of care, and they are already established as experts in medication management processes. As pharmacists branch out into the quality arena, they will need to expand their knowledge base with respect to quality. This discussion guide is intended to provide health-system pharmacists with the basic tools they need to lead and participate in quality improvement and medication safety initiatives.