What is a drug utilization review (DUR) in the context of Delaware pharmacy practice?

A drug utilization review (DUR) in the context of Delaware pharmacy practice is fundamentally a structured evaluation of patient prescriptions to identify potential issues. This process involves looking closely at a patient’s medication history and current prescriptions to ensure their safety and appropriateness. DUR assesses for various factors, including drug interactions, duplicate therapies, and potential allergies, ensuring that the prescribed medications align well with the patient's health conditions and overall treatment goals.

This systematic review is crucial for preventing medication errors, optimizing therapeutic outcomes, and fostering safe medication use. Pharmacists play a vital role in this process, as they have the expertise to analyze medication therapy and provide recommendations or interventions when necessary.

Other choices may involve important aspects of pharmacy practice, such as regulatory compliance or inventory management, but they do not describe the primary purpose of a DUR, which is specifically focused on evaluating and ensuring the appropriateness of prescriptions for patients. Therefore, the correct understanding of DUR is its direct impact on patient safety and the quality of care provided through medication management.