KEYWORDS:
Immunization Registries, Local Public Health, Accreditation

BACKGROUND:
The Michigan Childhood Immunization Registry (MCIR) was established through a requirement in the Michigan Public Health Code in 1996. The registry consists of a database on children up to age 20.
The Michigan Local Public Health Accreditation Program seeks to assure and enhance the quality of local public health in Michigan by identifying and promoting the implementation of public health standards for local public health departments, and evaluating and accrediting local health departments on their ability to meet these standards.
In 1998, an accreditation indicator was added for Local Public Health Departments requiring that they meet a certain percentage among children of a particular age group in the registry.

OBJECTIVE:
Identify the benefits and barriers that Local Public Health Departments and Registries may experience to fully meet related accreditation indicators.

METHOD:
Registry and local public health staff held meetings to review immunization and registry-related accreditation indicators. A plan was devised on how the registry office could support and supplement the health department’s efforts to meet the related indicators.

RESULT:
Utilizing data and reports in the registry to identify benefits and barriers, the group developed strategies to assist in overcoming some of the barriers. Barriers may have included the following: private providers not giving required vaccines, poor relationships between local public health/providers/registry staff, vaccine shortages, etc.

CONCLUSION:
Registry data can successfully be used to assist and support local public health efforts in meeting accreditation indicators.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Participants will learn how registry data can be used to assist local public health departments in meeting accreditation indicators.