Cherie Thomas, (for the Washington, DC Immunization Program), Trey Industries, Inc, PO Box 2508, Locust Grove, VA, USA, Rosie McLaren, NIP, CDC, 1131 Spring Road, NW, Washington DC, Bernardo Gonzales, Office of Managed Care, Medical Assistance Administration, DC Department Of Health, 825 North Capitol Street, NE, Washington, DC, USA, and Karyn L. Berry, District of Columbia Department of Health, 825 North Capitol St., N.E, Washington DC, DC, USA.
BACKGROUND:
In November 2003, after huge successes in improving school-age immunization rates, focus was intensified on immunizing Medicaid children before age two and before school entry. The DC Immunization Registry in partnership with the VFC Program, Medicaid, Managed Care Organizations, and local health care providers, initiated a project to systematically identify under-immunized Medicaid 0-4-year-olds and issue reminder/recalls to get the children back to their “medical home” for immunizations. Within the first year, immunization rates have increased 33%.
OBJECTIVE:
1. Continue working partnership between DOH Immunization, Medical Assistance Administration (Medicaid), MCOs, providers, and other key stakeholders.
2. Track and improve immunization compliance levels for Medicaid children from birth through age 4 years.
3. Continue an on-going system to increase immunization rates by follow up with clients as they become due for their next immunization doses and with non-compliant clients as they become overdue.
METHOD:
Medicaid children are cross-matched with the Immunization Registry. Monthly immunization compliance levels for 0-4-year-old children in each MCO are reported to the MCOs and the Medicaid office. The MCOs are provided with recall/reminder lists of children who are due/overdue for immunizations. Providers are linked to the Immunization Registry to review records and generate reminder/recall lists on their patients. CASA/AFIX reviews of 2-year-olds are conducted at healthcare provider offices to evaluate and suggest improvements in provider practices. Reminder/recall of non-compliant clients is conducted.
RESULT:
Registry-based Medicaid immunization rates increased 33% in 0-4-year-old Medicaid children. Efficient system was established to methodically track and follow up on immunizations into the future.
CONCLUSION:
Improvement in immunization compliance in a highly mobile, preschool Medicaid population can be achieved through partnerships between healthcare providers, managed care, and registries.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
To evaluate the effectiveness of partnerships between Immunization Registries, Medicaid, managed care, and healthcare providers in improving immunization compliance in a preschool-age client population.
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