Development of the NPS indicators of quality prescribing in General Practice
Purpose: To develop a pragmatic set of indicators of quality of prescribing for use in Australian general practice.
Methods: Focus groups were held to provide an understanding of what GPs, pharmacists and consumers believed to be the key elements of quality prescribing. A workshop and literature reviews were used to further develop and refine the indicators. GPs then tested and evaluated the indicators using a structured evaluation sheet. The evaluation assessed each indicator for clarity, reliability, validity, sensitivity, usefulness, ease of measurement and ease of comparison. The process of completing the indicators was discussed in an interview.
Result: Twenty one indicators were pilot tested. Nineteen GPs used desktop clinical information to complete four indicators. When a problem was identified ideas about how to rework the indicator were discussed. Solutions were developed and tested in subsequent GP interviews.
Conclusion: A pragmatic set of indicators of quality prescribing has been developed. The utilization of focus groups, stakeholder workshops and pilot testing to develop these indicators ensures they are valid and useful for Australian general practitioners.