Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
By the end of the presentation, participants will be able to:
·Describe ways to communicate changes to vaccine recommendations
·Describe response rates to different materials



Background:
Reaching busy healthcare offices with information can be difficult. Staff members are overwhelmed with daily responsibilities and information from multiple sources. Yet, the need to communicate changes to immunization recommendations and information about new vaccines to practitioners and patients is important to the success of a new vaccine program. Information sent in response to changes in the recommendations for a new meningococcal vaccine will be used as a case study in communication.


Setting:
The Vaccine Education Center at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is a national and international program that provides scientifically accurate information about vaccines to parents and healthcare professionals. Since its inception in 2000, the Center has established a database of over 25,000 contacts. When the meningococcal vaccine recommendation changed in the spring of 2005, the Center was able to rapidly produce and distribute relevant information.


Population:
The Center focused on informing 2 groups. First, the Center notified about 20,000 practitioners that previously ordered VEC resources. Second, the Center contacted an additional 120,000 office-based family or general practitioners, pediatricians, and pediatricians specializing in adolescent medicine in collaboration with the American Medical Association.


Project Description:
A single informational sheet and an announcement/ order form was mailed to each practitioner. The order form offered the opportunity to get 100 informational sheets in English and/or Spanish free-of-charge.


Results/Lessons Learned:
Over 900,000 sheets of information were requested from this mailing. About 3% of new contacts and almost 20% of previous contacts responded. Response rates to the meningococcus mailing will be compared with responses to 2 similar mailings about influenza. The Center has established a consistent means for providing information to healthcare professionals.