[Selection of quality indicators for primary care prescription through a consensus group].
OBJECTIVE
To work out a system of indicators for improvement of primary care prescription, by incorporating the values and views of the professionals issuing prescriptions.


METHODS
Qualitative technique to search for consensus among experts, based on nominal groups.


METHODS
All primary care areas in the Health Service of Aragon, Spain.


METHODS
Primary care doctors, doctors in primary care management teams, specialists, primary care pharmacists.


METHODS
Two parallel groups involving a total of 24 experts were formed. In the session these questions were posed: "what indicators focusing on the drug and what indicators relating diagnosis and treatment do you think most useful for evaluating prescription quality?" Each panellist put forward indicators that were then discussed and placed on a scale of 1 to 9.


RESULTS
One hundred and thirty six indicators were generated, 81 drug-focused and 55 relating diagnosis and treatment; 56% were given a weighting above 5. The 2 groups coincided in 11 cases. The most valued indicators were generally those that brought a greater degree of consensus.


CONCLUSIONS
It is feasible, through this technique, to produce a set of agreed indicators for evaluating primary care doctors' prescription.
Garjón Parra
Francisco Javier
FJ
Farmacia Hospitalaria, Farmacia de Atención Primaria, Dirección Atención Primaria Sector Huesca, Huesca, España. jgarjon@salud.aragon.es
Aller Blanco
Ana Isabel
AI
Buisán Giral
María José
MJ
Elfau Mairal
María
M
Celaya Lecea
María Concepción
MC
D000328:Adult; D032921:Consensus; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000592:standards*; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000592:standards; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D019984:Quality Indicators, Health Care; D013030:Spain
D004364:Pharmaceutical Preparations