KEYWORDS:
Registry, Data Exchange, MCOs, HEDIS
BACKGROUND:
VaxTrack is a regional immunization registry based in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties, California. The region covers more than 27,000 square miles and has a population of over 3.3 million people. Active since 1994 in San Bernardino County and 2000 in Riverside County, VaxTrack now contains over 380,000 immunization records and almost 3.6 million immunizations. Routine data exchanges with Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) began in 1999 and accounts for approximately 40% of these records.
OBJECTIVE:
To illustrate the benefits of data exchange between the registry, health care providers and local Medicaid MCOs.
METHOD:
Medicaid MCOs extract demographic and immunization data from billing documents submitted by providers and send an encrypted file to the registry. The information is transferred directly into the registry database via batchloads. Patient and vaccine load error reports are automatically generated, then the data is screened for duplicate patients. The data exchange helps to populate the registry, enables Medicaid MCOs to receive information necessary for annual HEDIS reporting, and reduces the need for data entry at the provider office.
RESULT:
Between December 1999 and December 2002, MCOs submitted more than 113,300 records and over 646,000 immunizations to VaxTrack. HEDIS rates for the MCOs showed a 15 to 24% improvement derived in part from registry data. The decreased need for data entry at the provider office has contributed to high private provider participation in the region.
CONCLUSION:
Data exchange between registries, providers and MCOs lead to improved immunization rates for Health Plan children, relieve data entry burdens on provider offices, increase private provider participation and facilitate growth of immunization registries.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Participants will be able to describe the advantages of data exchange between registries and MCOs.
Handout (.ppt format, 508.0 kb)
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