title: Development of standards for providing prescription drugs by mail.
abstract: The development and implementation of practice standards for a mail-service pharmacy are described. Literature, licensing regulations, and existing national practice standards were reviewed. Selected mail-service pharmacies were surveyed on their practice standards. Patients who had received prescription drugs by mail from a university hospital pharmacy were asked their opinions of the service in a telephone survey. Based on the information gathered, a set of practice standards was drafted. The draft was considered by a panel of experts who reached a consensus on mail-service pharmacy practice standards. The standards were implemented at a university hospital's outpatient pharmacy. Standards of practice for mail-service pharmacies were developed and applied at a university hospital outpatient pharmacy. Other pharmacies may find the standards useful.
authors.affiliation: Outpatient Pharmacy Services, University of Minnesota Hospital and Clinic, Minneapolis 55455.
authors.forename: L S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Ying
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Thielke
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Siegler
mesh_terms: D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards*; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000592:standards*; D011177:Postal Service; D011364:Professional Practice / Q000592:standards; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014922:Wisconsin