Utilizing a Public-Private Partnership to Sustain a School-Located Influenza Vaccination Program

Background:  The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) has conducted school-located influenza clinics since 2005 in Knox County public and private schools, Head Starts, and daycares.  Each year, in over 200 school-based clinics, more than 45% of eligible children have been vaccinated against influenza.  Sustaining the school-located influenza program has been an issue of concern each season. 

Setting:  Knox County, Tennessee public and private schools, Head Starts, and daycares.

Population:  Children ages 6 months to 18 years of age in Knox County attending a public or private school, Head Start, or daycare where school-located influenza vaccination clinics were conducted.

Project Description:  A public/private partnership was formed to conduct school-located influenza vaccination clinics.  KCHD and VaxCare, a private vaccine immunization provider, utilized a blended model of public-private best practices to accomplish patient consent acquisition, clinic and vaccination provision, education, and efficient and timely management of reimbursement activities.  The partnership maintained the following goals:  maintain or improve historical KCHD vaccination rates, improve clinic efficiency through implementation of shared best practices, eliminate the seasonal public health distraction that a program of this magnitude necessitates, and reduce the financial burden on KCHD.

Results/Lessons Learned:  Following the completion of 200 clinics and over 28,000 vaccinations, data  were gathered and comparison was made between the 2010 campaign and historical data from 2005-2009.   Efficiency and expense were selected as primary comparative variables, with several secondary variables analyzed.  Across all categories, the 2010 public/private effort between KCHD and VaxCare proved superior.  Specifically, clinics were conducted quicker, with less staff, and at a decreased cost compared with years prior. Without sacrificing vaccination rates, Knox County experienced cost and time savings that would not have been possible without the collaborative effort between two partners focused on the same goal: safe and efficient influenza vaccination for all children.