We're #1: Achieving and Maintaining a High NIS Ranking

Background:
In 2007, Maryland ranked #1 in the National Immunization Survey. In recognizing this impressive accomplishment, leading state officials credited Maryland's immunization policy and strong collaboration between the state health department, local health departments, and the state's childhood and adult immunization coalitions for helping achieve this ranking.

Setting:
Public and private immunization programs

Population:
Immunization stakeholders, community

Project Description:
The Maryland Partnership for Prevention (MPP) is the state's adult immunization coalition and parent organization of Maryland's childhood immunization coalition, the Maryland Childhood Immunization Partnership (MCIP). Both groups are comprised of representatives from the state health department, local health departments, private providers, insurers, hospitals, professional associations, colleges and universities, vaccine manufacturers, community-based organizations, social programs, and private citizens. MPP and MCIP are constant partners in state-led immunization efforts and facilitate seamless collaboration between immunization stakeholders in Maryland.
The state immunization program and immunization coalitions function as colleagues in creating and implementing initiatives, providing technical assistance, promoting the immunization registry, training immunization professionals, awarding grants, and recognizing excellence.
Through regular membership meetings, technical assistance, conference calls, special meetings, publications, award events, conferences, and trainings, the partners create a united front to address challenges in delivering immunization services and identify and develop initiatives to address emerging issues in immunization.

Results/Lessons Learned:
Since 2001, Maryland's state immunization program, MPP and MCIP have coordinated their efforts in supporting immunization providers. Since that time, the partnership has created five annual initiatives, awarded tens of thousands of dollars in grants, provided countless hours of technical assistance, trained hundreds of immunization and health promotion professionals, and fostered open communication and collaboration between public and private immunization providers. As a result, the state enjoys a #1 ranking in the 2007 NIS, a particularly impressive feat for Maryland since it is not a universal purchase state.