Pharmacotherapy quality improvement: use of a clinical rule-based application.

Heritage's drug usage evaluation (DUE) program focuses on analyzing the dynamics of prescribing, dispensing, and medication usage data for insurers, managed care organizations (MCO), and others involved in the management of pharmacotherapy in the ambulatory care setting. The addition of a new clinical rules-based system (Athena) has increased the flexibility, scope, and speed of Heritage quality improvement products. Its integration into benchmarking, profiling, and disease management programs is described.