Anna C. Dragsbaek, JD

The Immunization Partnership
3015 Richmond Avenue, Ste. 270
Houston, TX
USA 77098

Biographical Sketch:
President/CEO The Immunization Partnership 12/06 – present. Developed and implemented public health programs incorporating immunization, access to care, electronic health information, education and advocacy within the public and private health sectors of the greater Houston area. Advocated for Texas Legislature to enact laws pertaining to immunization and drafted sample legislation for consideration by representatives and senators. Give presentations on the state and national levels about immunization law and policy to inform the public and to raise awareness. Manager Immunization Project Texas Children's Hospital 2005 – 2008. Interpret and analyze federal and state statutes related to privacy of electronic health information, research, immunizations and public health. Advise physicians and local public health officials about relevant regulations and develop programmatic goals to accomplish compliance. Review and amend confidentiality policies, MOUs, access request forms, business associate agreements and consent forms as necessary to ensure compliance with regulations and internal policies. Advise stakeholders on legislative agenda items related to immunization laws for the Texas Legislature. Immunization Registry Coordinator Texas Children's Hospital 2004 – 2005. Responsible for outreach, training and technical development of the Houston-Harris County Immunization Registry. Advocated for registry use in public forums and communicated in written and verbal formats with stakeholders, including front line physician users, community groups, top government officials and corporate partners. Publications and Awards: Panelist, Immunization Information Systems Financing, National Vaccine Advisory Committee, Quarterly Meeting (Scheduled for February 2008) “Legal and Policy Barriers to Effective Use of Health Information Exchanges” American Public Health Association Annual Meeting, November 2007, Washington DC Boom, JA, Dragsbaek, AC, Nelson, CS. The Success of Immunization Information Systems in the Wake of Hurricane Katrina. Pediatrics. 2007; 119:1213-1217. “Preparedness Before the Storm: Legal and Policy Barriers to Effective Use of Immunization Registries in Public Health Emergencies” Presentation at National Immunization Conference March 2007 “The Revision of the International Health Regulations” Poster Presentation 2005 CDC Public Health Law Conference Winner Best Poster, awarded by Public Health Law Association. Participant 2004 Texas Medical Center Health Care Team (Mock exercise in public health preparedness for bio-terrorism event). “Increasing Immunization Registry Utilization through Real Time Information Integration” 2006 National Immunization Conference. “Implementing PROW Standards of Excellence in a Public Health Emergency” American Immunization Registry Association Open Information Conference Call, September, 2006 “Immunization Registries 101” Texas Pediatric Society, Austin, TX, November 2006