BACKGROUND:
A collaboration between a Pediatric Emergency Department (PED) and the Central New York Immunization Registry (IR) found that a PED can effectively access an IR, determine the prevalence of PED patients in the Registry and verify their immunization status.

OBJECTIVE:
Demonstrate that utilizing an Immunization Registry in a PED provides value to the community.

METHOD:
From 10/1/02 through 3/31/03, patients aged 2 months – 6 years, registered in the PED were screened for enrollment in the IR. Participation in the IR was measured and patient’s immunization status on the PED visit date was generated from the IR. For patients found not up-to-date (NUTD), a second inquiry of the IR was completed eight weeks after their visit date. The number of additional patients found up-to-date (UTD) was measured. For those remaining as NUTD per the IR, primary care physician was contacted to verify the patient’s immunization status as of the PED visit date.

RESULT:
Of 4,628 eligible patients treated in the PED, 1219 (26%) were enrolled in the IR. Of these, 466 (38%) were UTD. The second inquiry of the IR identified 55 (5%) more as UTD, totaling 521 (43%). PCP verification identified an additional 301 (25%) totaling 822 (67%) actually UTD, resulting in 274 (22%) that were NUTD. 159 (53%) of the 301 ultimately verified UTD with PCP contact were a result of delayed data entry by the PCP, while 142 (47%) were due to data error. The PCP was unwilling to verify data in 123 patients.

CONCLUSION:
Immunization registries in collaboration with a PED can identify under-immunized patients. Improving data quality can facilitate efforts to improve immunization rates.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
Present results from an applied use of an IR. Share approaches for measuring data quality.