Promoting Complete Immunization by Age One

Learning Objectives for this Presentation:
By the end of the presentation participants will be able to:
1. Identify the On Time Every Time (OTET) simplified immunization and screening schedules for parents, caregivers and healthcare providers
2. Describe the benefits of the OTET program

Background:
Delayed immunizations are missed opportunities that can result in outbreaks and epidemics. CDC's Recommended Childhood Immunization Schedule details intervals of time when children should be immunized. Immunizing children at the earliest possible time can ensure that children are fully immunized by age one. According to the 2006 National Immunization Survey, Estimated Vaccination Coverage with Individual Vaccines Before 7 Months of Age, in New Jersey, only 64% of children received 3 DTaPs and 38% of children were up-to-date with pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. The State of New Jersey's On Time Every Time (OTET) – Keys to Prevention program includes two preventive screening and immunization schedules – one for parents and caregivers and another for providers - to increase their awareness of the earliest possible times immunizations can be administered and times when screenings should occur. OTET program staff actively encourage timely immunizations and are helping to increase infant immunization rates statewide.

Setting:
Various public health settings including: hospitals; health centers; local health departments and daycare centers.

Population:
New Jersey children less than age one year.

Project Description:
An initiative to improve the timeliness and administration of the vaccination schedule while maximizing all preventive healthcare screening opportunities. The simplified OTET schedule offers providers a way to administer all needed vaccinations at 2,4,6 and 12 months.

Results/Lessons Learned:
Between January-November 2007, more than 16,000 OTET schedules in English and Spanish were distributed statewide to parents, caregivers, and healthcare providers. The program's next phase includes an evaluation of Federally Qualified Health Centers' immunization rates before and after OTET program implementation.