23220 Chagrin Blvd., Suite 476, Beachwood, OH, 44122 chris@emilyjerryfoundation.org 440.289.8662

Celebrating 12 Years of Progress in Pharmacy Technician Oversight and Overall Medication Safety Improvement!

What began with unspeakable heartbreak after Emily’s preventable medication error has grown into a lifelong mission: ensuring no other patient or family ever endures a similar tragedy.

Over the past 16+ years, I’ve had the privilege and the immense blessing of working alongside incredible clinician leaders, educators, and industry innovators to advance safer systems, strengthen processes, and inspire the next generation of healthcare professionals who share the same passion for preventing the preventable.

When the Emily Jerry Foundation launched the National Pharmacy Technician Initiative and Interactive Scorecard in 2013, our goal was simple yet ambitious: to raise awareness and drive reform in how pharmacy technicians are trained, certified, and overseen across the U.S.

This interactive map (located near the bottom of our homepage if you scroll down a bit at https://emilyjerryfoundation.org/), developed by EJF and powered by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP), was designed to highlight disparities among states and promote stronger, safer standards for IV medication preparation in hospitals and health systems nationwide.

Today, I’m proud to share that our 2025 update marks another major step
forward:
✅ 17 states improved their overall scores this year.
✅ In 2013, five states had a “0” score—no oversight of pharmacy technicians. Today, we’re down to just one.
✅ 22 states now earn a “B” score or higher, compared to just 13 in 2013.

This progress reflects more than a decade of collaboration and shared commitment to patient safety. It shows what’s possible when foundations, clinician caregiver experts, healthcare organizations, regulators, and policymakers unite to drive lasting change.

A sincere thank-you to Douglas Scheckelhoff and his outstanding team at ASHP for their partnership, data, and dedication to fairness and transparency, each vital to this initiative’s success.

Looking ahead, I’m excited to continue collaborating with the ASHP state
affiliates who recognize the vital importance of having well-educated,
career-oriented pharmacy technicians on their teams to ensure medication safety. The Emily Jerry Foundation and I personally stand ready to support and collaborate in any way possible to advance technician oversight and these vital medication safety initiatives.

Let’s keep fighting the good fight and keep this positive momentum moving forward…until one day, our nation achieves straight “A”s across the board!