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CDC: Immunization information systems and EHRs must be partners
CDC. MMWR. 2011;60:10-12.
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During the next 24 months, CDC officials said they hope to see enhanced immunization information systems and electronic health record interoperability, which “will provide greater consistency in data exchange.”
Better interoperability could improve the quality and timelines of immunization data, as well as reduce interface costs over time, CDC researchers said in an online published report.
The researchers reported on data compiled from surveys of 56 immunization information systems (IIS) grantees, encompassing 50 states, five cities and the District of Columbia. The survey showed that in 2009, about 77% (18.4 million) of all children aged younger than 6 years participated in an IIS, which was a small but statistically significant bump over the 2008 rate of 75%. A Healthy People 2020 objective is to increase that percentage to 95%. Of the 56 IIS grantees, about 70% reported being completely or partially able to send and receive Health Level Seven (HL7) messages related to vaccinations.
The researchers found that in 2009, 73% of 51 grantees reported that at least some vaccine provider-site electronic health record (EHR) systems were providing immunization data directly to an IIS, which was an improvement over previous years. However, the CDC researchers urged even better rates.
In 2010, CDC received Health Information Technology for Clinical and Economic Health funding for 20 IIS grantees to enhance EHR-IIS interoperability. During the next 2 years, these grantees will be expected to develop or enhance their HL7 messaging capacity and increase the number of interfaces with EHRs, the CDC wrote. The grantees also will need to ensure adequate programmatic and technical capacity for increased electronic data submission testing, ensuring that electronic files submitted to EHR are complete and accurate. The grantees will also be asked to work closely with state information technology workers to coordinate information and data gathering.
The CDC researchers said findings from the Task Force on Community Preventive Services have highlighted how the IIS can be effective in increasing vaccination coverage through patient reminder systems, increasing provider assessment and providing data on outbreaks.
“Increased IIS data accuracy, timeliness, and completeness can improve the quality of IIS-based vaccination coverage assessments, better support clinical decisions at the health care provider level, and improve the data available for other public health functions,” the CDC researchers wrote in their report.
The info in the story is nothing new. Ten years ago we were talking about hooking up state vaccine registries with doctor offices. I am only shocked that more states are not involved at this point. When physicians are looking at EMR systems, one of the questions they ask today is about the hookup with the vaccine registries. Probably within three years, vaccines will have bar coding on them so the physicians can scan them right into their EMR. Most of the vaccine companies have committed to making this happen.
—Richard Lander, MD
Infectious
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