Page 24 - Delaware Medical Journal - January/February 2019
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and 2018, the CDC recognized the state at the National Immunization Conference for outstanding progress toward meeting the HP2020 goals. In 2016, Delaware was commended for its immunization rates
of children age 19-35 months for the nine vaccinations recommended by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices: tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis, hepatitis B, measles, mumps, rubella, polio (IPV or OPV), and varicella. Delaware’s 2015 rate was 79.3%, just
shy of the HP2020 goal of 80%, and 5% higher than the state’s 2014 rate.
At the 2018 National Immunization Conference, Delaware was recognized for outstanding progress toward the HP2020 children 6 months to 17 years during the compared to the HP2020 target of 70%.
THE FUTURE
Another objective within the Cooperative Agreement is to create and monitor a HP2020 goals for coverage rates of communicable disease:
• Increasing outreach and education.
With the addition of Public Health Advisors (PHA), whom the CDC assigns to get formal on-the-job training, the Immunization Program has increased
its presence in the community. Whether
it is bringing educational materials to on how to present immunizations for adolescents, the Immunization Program reaches populations that it could not in
the past. With their consistent presence, the knowledge base for doctors and the public alike should increase to make immunizations part of every Delawarean’s health plan.
• Promoting the reporting of immunizations and the use of the Immunization Information System
(IIS). Immunizations must be reported for the Immunization Program to be able to determine coverage rates. Administrative Code 4202, Section 7.1.14.1 states: “Physicians and other health care providers who give immunizations shall report information about the immunization and the person to whom it was given for addition
to the immunization registry in a manner prescribed by the Division Director or designee.” The Immunization Program invested in a state-of-the-art information system, DelVAX. DelVAX has the ability to report immunizations, either by direct data entry or electronically, through Health Level 7 (HL7) Protocol messaging from
a practice’s Electronic Medical Record (EMR). HL7 reporting is the preferred method of reporting, as it reduces the amount of errors reported on a handwritten form. The protocol is used by 127 different DelVAX can also manage a practice’s vaccine inventory, and can order vaccines for their Vaccines for Children (VFC) clients. Additional practices are testing
their ability to report directly through HL7 messaging; once they successfully complete their testing, the practices will no longer have to mail the paper forms to the program.
• Increasing attention to lagging coverage rates on communicable diseases. Identifying low immunization coverage rates is the hallmark of any good immunization program. Delaware’s Immunization Program uses the CDC’s Assessment, Feedback, Incentive, eXchange (AFIX) program to assist
in identifying low rates from VFC practices. Through this process, the program determined that the coverage rate for the human papillomavirus (HPV) needed attention. During the assessment, evaluators discuss with the practice what their coverage is for each communicable disease, and discuss methods to help increase their rates. HPV coverage rates improved after such discussions, but more
needs to be done. With the assistance of
the Cancer Prevention Program, additional funding was allocated to provide training and education on HPV awareness and immunization best practices. This initiative began in October 2017; DPH Immunization Program staff will make clinic site visits. HPV, Tdap, and meningococcal are part
of the “Adolescent Platform,” a trio of immunizations that should be completed at the same age, 11-12 years. Future actions during the AFIX visits will incorporate using the Platform to immunize teenagers against these three diseases.
CONCLUSION
Vaccinations prevent disease and reduce suffering, improve our quality of life, and help us live longer. DPH continually reminds Delawareans to get their recommended vaccinations.
has hit the state hard in recent years. In the
hospitalizations, 70 of which were among children 0-4 years.11 cases that resulted in 15 deaths and 777 hospitalizations.12
DPH recommends that every person over
severity of symptoms. Flu vaccines protect not only the person who receives the shot, but also those around them, especially babies who may be too young to be vaccinated, the elderly, and those with underlying health conditions or weakened immune systems.
Flu vaccines are offered through physician
Public Health clinics in several State Service Centers, including some with evening hours
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Del Med J | January/February 2019 | Vol. 91 | No. 1
