title: Medication safety issue brief 5. Crucial role of therapeutic guidelines.
abstract: Clinical practice guidelines have gained favor as a key method for health care organizations to improve the quality and consistency of medical care. They can also be used to reduce the chance of error by establishing a standard protocol for how care is carried out. It sounds simple, but choosing and developing well-designed guidelines can be challenging, as can persuading caregivers to accept a single way to do things. Still, guidelines based on solid evidence and good outcomes can make everyone's job easier.
mesh_terms: D004358:Drug Therapy / Q000592:standards*; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D008508:Medication Errors / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D014481:United States