Drug use review: operational definitions.

A distinction is made between drug use review (DUR) studies and programs. DUR studies can be quantitative or qualitative. Quantitative studies involve the collection, organization and display of estimates or measurements of amounts of drug use. Qaulitative studies are multidisciplinary operations which collect, organize, analyze and report information on the rationality of the drug use base. A DUR program is an ongoing method of assuring the quality of drug use through the employment of standards and efforts to correct drug use not consistent with these standards; the effectiveness of corrective actions is measured.