Chasing Quality - Clinical Practice Guidelines and HEDIS Measures of Asthma and Depression Therapy Management

In this issue of JMCP are 4 articles that examine aspects of evidence-based medicine (EBM) in 4 different clinical pathways. Payakachat, Summers, and Barbuto compare the evidence and 6 clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of epilepsy published between 2000 and 2005. Heaton et al. challenge the value of leukotriene modifiers, currently recommended as second-line therapy in the treatment of asthma. Robinson et al. found an above-average rate of adherence to one of the quality measures in the Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) in the treatment of depression. Winterbottom et al. found a low rate of adherence to a clinical practice guideline for the use of gabapentin for neuropathic pain in usual care versus a clinical pharmacy consult.