• Amanda G Kennedy and Benjamin Littenberg.
• Division of General Internal Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, 371 Pearl Street, Burlington, VT 05401, USA. amanda.kennedy@vtmednet.org
• J Am Pharm Assoc (2003). 2004 Jul 1; 44 (4): 434-8.

ObjectiveTo document community pharmacists' awareness and use of the United States Pharmacopeia Medication Errors Reporting (USP MER) program.DesignTelephone survey.SettingCommunity pharmacies in Vermont.ParticipantsOne self-identified community pharmacist from each community pharmacy.InterventionEach operating community pharmacy in Vermont was contacted by telephone between June 2002 and February 2003. The first individual to self-identify himself or herself as a pharmacist was asked to participate. The telephone surveys were conducted using a standard script.Main Outcome MeasureSurvey responses to questions about awareness and use of USP MER.ResultsA pharmacist was contacted in 98% (122/124) of all operating community pharmacies in Vermont. Nine (7%) pharmacists refused to participate, leaving 113 pharmacists who responded to the survey. Although more than one half of all respondents (70/113; 62%) had heard of USP MER, less than one quarter (24/113; 21%) had ever submitted a report. Significantly more pharmacists employed by independent pharmacies had submitted a report, compared with pharmacists from other pharmacy types (chain, supermarket, mass merchandiser; P = .03). Submitting reports through a corporate hierarchy or to a corporate program was the reason most frequently cited by pharmacists for not submitting reports directly to USP MER (37%). Whether corporate reports were forwarded to USP MER is unknown.ConclusionThe majority of Vermont community pharmacists were aware of USP MER. However, use was low. Barriers to reporting to a common system such as USP MER may differ depending on pharmacy type. Further research to document the barriers to submitting reports is warranted.

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