The committee continually and objectively evaluates and selects medications for therapeutic interchange that are most appropriate for the needs of the population from the perspectives of safety, effectiveness, and cost. The committee is responsible for therapeutic interchange product selection, program monitoring and maintenance, and policy and procedure development. Guidelines I. A therapeutic interchange program is directed by an interdisciplinary committee that develops appropriate policies and procedures for operation of the program. Criteria are established for selection of therapeutic classes and medications for therapeutic interchange. Selection of categories and medications for therapeutic interchange is a critical responsibility of the interdisciplinary committee, with the goal of enhancing the quality of care and improving outcomes in patients at a reduced total system cost.
Therapeutic interchange requires the authorization of the prescriber.
There should be a mechanism for the prescriber to exclude individual patients from the therapeutic interchange program when deemed appropriate by the prescriber, as well as a mechanism to withdraw from a previously approved protocol or guideline. Therapeutic interchange requires the evaluation of each patient prior to changing the medication order. Prior to therapeutic interchange, each patient should be evaluated by the pharmacist or prescriber according to established criteria, to ensure appropriateness of therapeutic interchange for that patient. When possible, therapeutic interchange is prospective. When therapeutic interchange is implemented, it is preferable to provide the therapeutic equivalent medication prior to the first dose of prescribed medication.