QUALITY ASSURANCE IN DRUG INFORMATION-CENTERS

A study was set to define a suitable procedure of quality assurance, a iming to define quality measurements and develop assessment questionna ires. The exercise started with a survey of products and services offe red by individual centres. The need for a mission statement emerged as a prerequisite to any quality definition. Objectives for a hypothetic al drug information centre were drawn. Essential common quality indica tors adequate to the full range of products were identified. Specific quality indicators for each product have also been produced. Recommend ations on assessment techniques were defined and follow up measures we re indicated. Overall assessment of the service was not tackled as res ourcing was considered critical for the production; individual paramet ers were not weighted, as the weakest ring in a quality chain defines the overall quality of the product. The understanding of needs and que ries of customers emerged as crucial to the achievement of quality; in dications were given as how to proceed in case of a direct contact wit h end customers being impossible. Drug information professional's resp onsibilities were also stressed, particularly in the case of a 'negati ve' answer.