KEYWORD1:
Partnership, immunization coalition, collaboration, providers, web-based immunization registry, strategic planning, resources

BACKGROUND:
In 1993, an immunization coalition called Project L.O.V.E. (Love Our kids Vaccinate Early) was formed. One of the goals was to provide Franklin County with an immunization registry. Eventually the coalition came to a crossroads involving 3 decisions: to buy a commercial product, develop one of their own, or to partner with the Ohio Department of Health to make their registry web-based. This led to a decision to partner with the state in order to capitalize on the strengths of each agency involved.

OBJECTIVE:
State how community partnerships, in collaboration with state and local health departments, play a key role in the development, marketing, recruitment and implementation of an immunization registry.

METHOD:
In order to ensure success of the immunization registry, community partnerships, committees and advisory councils met regularly in order to address issues surrounding the development, marketing and implementation of IMPACT SIIS, the Ohio statewide immunization registry. These partnerships started between the state and local health departments and Project L.O.V.E. and have expanded to include professional organizations, pharmaceutical companies, managed care agencies, marketing consultants, physicians, hospitals, office managers, legal representatives and technical experts.

RESULT:
A web-based immunization registry has been developed and is being marketed that meets the needs of both the private and public sectors.

CONCLUSION:
Community partnerships combine the strengths of all the partners, producing a useful registry along with a better system designed to reach providers that are needed to ensure success.
Immunization coalitions can play a key role in organizing these partnerships and facilitate moving this goal forward.
LEARNINGOBJECTIVES:
To better understand how to cultivate and maintain partnerships that will facilitate the development, marketing and recruitment process for an immunization registry.