Should a QRE be allowed to continue to the next step?

• A. Yes, it can proceed automatically
• B. No, the pharmacist has to check it
• C. It can proceed if a tech verifies
• D. It must be escalated to risk management

Answer: (B)

A QRE signals a potential safety or accuracy issue in the workflow, so it must be reviewed by a pharmacist before the process moves forward. The pharmacist brings professional judgment to verify the details—patient information, drug, dose, interactions, allergies, and any discrepancy flagged by the system—and decides the correct course of action. Only after the pharmacist confirms everything is safe and correct should the next steps proceed. This safeguards patient safety and aligns with pharmacy practice standards.

Allowing automatic progression would bypass essential safety review. Tech verification alone isn’t sufficient because resolving a QRE often requires clinical judgment that technicians aren’t authorized to make. Escalating to risk management is for broader, systemic concerns and isn’t the immediate step for a routine QRE check.