KEYWORDS:
Opt-in, consent, legislation, community building, private providers, billing systems.

BACKGROUND:
Legislation in Idaho authorizes the statewide registry but requires express written consent, a requirement resulting in multiple challenges for the implementation. Additionally, autonomous health districts within the state, were maintaining their own immunization registries and the statewide system would have to co-exist with the district systems.

OBJECTIVE(S):
Identify the barriers and reduce the impact they have on the successful implementation of the electronic registry. Streamline the consent process, build technical solutions to extract data from billing systems, build community relations between private providers, public health districts and the state health department to ensure cooperation. Market the benefits of the registry to the public to elicit consent. Demonstrate the value of the registry through better immunization rates, identify missed opportunities and pockets of need through reports and GIS (mapping the data).

METHOD(S):
Technical solutions ensure that non-consented electronic records are not stored on the state registry even though they exist in the local provider’s systems. Automate data transfers so that providers are not required to duplicate data entry. Conduct training sessions and user group meetings to sessions made up of both private and public participants. Create effective marketing materials by employing professional marketing services. Leverage the registry data through the use of GIS technology and automated feedback to all stakeholders.

RESULT(S):
Solutions have been found to meet the barriers, immunization rates are improving and the project is a model of technology and community cooperation.

CONCLUSIONS(S):
Registry projects can seem overwhelming, but with proven technologies and programmatic strategies, they can co-exist with what might seem at first to be insurmountable barriers.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Examine the challenges one state was faced with and compare with your state’s registry (or proposed registry) environment. Determine whether Idaho’s solutions may be applicable in your state.