Mary Knowlton, Pennsylvania Department of Health, EDS Contract With the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, 225 Grandview Avenue, B-130, Camp Hill, PA, USA, Deborah A. Budney, PA Vaccines for Children Program, PA Dept of Health/Personal Touch, 345 Park Avenue, Meadville, PA, USA, and Harryl Allen.
BACKGROUND:
The success of the Pennsylvania Vaccines for Children (PA VFC) Program in the private provider's office can be compared to a keystone that is supported by many factors that depend on the knowledge and skills of practice personnel. The Pennsylvania Department of Health (PA DOH) supports a partnership for provider education between the PA VFC Program and the Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (PA AAP).
OBJECTIVE:
Offer PA VFC providers an evaluation of their immunization processes and empower them with the knowledge and skills needed to increase their immunization rates and improve their immunization processes.
METHOD:
The PA VFC Program, in the course of quality assurance reviews (QAR) at provider sites, frequently discovers barriers to good immunization practices. Although feedback is provided at each QAR, some providers may need more education to overcome those barriers than can be provided during the QAR. Since July 2000, providers whose immunization rate as measured by CASA is 75 percent or below based on a minimum of 15 charts are referred to PA AAP for an Immunization Education Program (IEP). Recent referrals for an IEP have also included providers who need to improve vaccine storage and handling procedures.
The combination of the QAR and the IEP targets providers who most need immunization education, and provides education targeted to each provider's specific needs.
The partnership between PA VFC and PA AAP is evaluated periodically to ensure that processes are effectively contributing to the key goal of improving immunization practices.
RESULT:
To date, the IEP has been administered at 130 provider sites. Those providers are then included in an on-going follow-up process, including a repeat CASA after one year.
CONCLUSION:
By working together, the PA VFC Program and the PA AAP are more effective in educating providers to improve their immunization practices than either could be working independently.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Participants will understand effectiveness of partnerships for education to improve immunization practices among VFC providers.