Medication Error Reduction Plan (MERP) Program

Program’s Mission

The MERP Program endeavors to promote safe and effective medication use in General Acute Care Hospitals (GACH) through reduction of preventable medication-related errors and adverse events.

The program's objectives will be achieved through:
The Department's survey activities whereby each hospital's MERP will be assessed for implementation and compliance in accordance with Health and Safety Code Section 1339.63, including California Code of Regulations, Title 22; and, ongoing collaborative efforts with stakeholders to advance medication safety strategies statewide to decrease identified system vulnerabilities.

MERP E-mail

In our ongoing efforts to provide transparency and collaboration with providers and the public, CDPH, has email address for individuals to submit MERP related questions or comments. The email address will provide a central point of contact where facilities and other interested parties can send emails in regards to MERP surveys and/or the MERP survey process. The email address is: MERP@cdph.ca.gov.  Each email received will be acknowledged and the appropriate response subsequently sent by return email. Email responses from the MERP mailbox will be sent under the name “CDPH L&C MERP” unless the incoming email is forwarded for further research and specific individual response.

MERP Survey Documents

MERP Entrance Conference Documents Request (Attachment A)  

MERP Survey Facility Questionnaire (Attachment B)  

MERP Survey Evaluation Form (Attachment C)  

Program Related All Facilities Letters (AFLs)

BULLETIN NUMBER:	TO:	SUBJECT:	RELEASE DATE:
AFL 09-31	All General Acute Care Hospitals and Special Hospitals	Change in Medication Error Reduction Plan (MERP) Survey Process	August 10, 2009
AFL 09-56	All Facilities	Medication Safety:  Storage of Medications Requiring Refrigeration	December 31, 2009
AFL 08-39	All General Acute Care Hospitals and Special Hospitals	Survey Process for Medication Plans (MERP)	December 9, 2008
AFL 07-33	General Acute Care Hospitals	Medication Safety:  Use of Medications with "Boxed Warnings"	November 05, 2007
AFL 05-02	General Acute Care Hospitals	Storage and Use of Emergency Medications	February 1, 2005

MERP Program Presentations

CDPH Presentation at CMS Region IX Patient Safety Collaborative September 2011  
CDPH Presentation at CSHP Conference October 2010