Superior hospital formularies: a critical analysis.

The drug monograph section of eight superior hospital formularies was examined to (1) determine the type of pharmaceuticals, including dosage forms, listed, (2) delineate patterns of concurrence and divergence in drug acceptance, and (3) ascertain quantitative benchmarks by therapeutic category that may suggest optimum formulary size. The survey also undertook a comparative analysis of marginal drugs and reviewed the role of pharmacy personnel in supporting formulary administration. The critique of pharmaceutical preparations revealed significant patterns of similarity, heterogeneity, perplexity, and redundancy. The investigation also documented problems in dosage form selection and formulary publication. The report concludes that there is a need for more comprehensive studies that incorporate alternative quality assurance methods and focus on the more intangible factors of professional leadership and integrity.