Christy Ciccarello, Molly Billstein Leber, Mandy C Leonard, Todd Nesbit, Mary G Petrovskis, Emily Pherson, Heidi A Pillen, Celia Proctor, Jennifer Reddan, ASHP Guidelines on the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and the Formulary System, American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy, Volume 78, Issue 10, 15 May 2021, Pages 907–918, https://doi.org/10.1093/ajhp/zxab080
Navbar Search Filter Mobile Enter search term Search Navbar Search Filter Enter search term SearchThese guidelines outline important considerations and recommend processes for formulary system management within the context of a hospital or health system. Pharmacist responsibilities and roles in managing the formulary system in partnership with other healthcare professionals are embedded throughout. These guidelines also provide assistance to pharmacists in the organization and operation of the pharmacy and therapeutics (P&T) committee or equivalent body, evaluation of medications for formularies and consideration of rational use of medications, and development and implementation of strategies to optimize medication use through the formulary system. A glossary of terms is provided in the Appendix A.
A formulary is a continually updated list of available medications and related information, representing the clinical judgment, resulting from a review of the clinical evidence, of physicians, pharmacists, and other clinicians in the diagnosis, prophylaxis, or treatment of disease and promotion of health. A formulary includes, but is not limited to, a list of medications and medication-associated products or devices, medication-use policies, important ancillary drug information, decision-support tools, and organizational guidelines. A formulary system is the ongoing process through which a healthcare organization establishes policies regarding the use of drugs, therapies, and drug-related products, including medication delivery devices, and identifies those that are most medically appropriate, safe, and cost-effective to best serve the health interests of a given patient population. 1 Formulary systems are used in many different settings, including hospitals, acute care facilities, home care settings, and long-term care facilities, as well as by payers such as Medicare, Medicaid, insurance companies, and managed care organizations. Many organizations have policy statements on the use of formularies. 2-8 These guidelines focus on the use of formulary systems in hospitals and health systems, in both inpatient and outpatient settings.