Efforts to improve immunization rates of rural elderly in order to minimize morbidity and mortality from influenza and pneumococcal disease may be compromised by a lack of comprehensive data on adult immunizations. The Oregon Health Division established an innovative pilot program to collect such information in collaboration with the Wasco-Sherman Health Department in Oregon, Oregon Masters of Public Health Program faculty, and the Oregon Geriatric Education Center. The project’s specific focus has been to improve the health of rural elderly by determining their immunization rates, and collaborating with providers and educating consumers to increase immunizations. The project team, with leadership from the health division staff, undertook a random assessment of patient charts in each of the seven physician practice groups in the health department's region. The providers were given detailed reports indicating specific immunization rates, strategies for improved record keeping and possible missed opportunities to immunize older adults. The lack of a statewide adult immunization registry suggested a barrier to obtaining accurate information on rates. Yet chart reviews proved beneficial to collecting detailed information on each practice’s rates and to raise awareness of opportunities for improvement. Feedback has proven beneficial to providers in assessing and improving their levels of adult immunizations.
Learning Objectives: Learning objectives include how feedback can be incorporated into reporting on the chart audit in order to stimulate improved care and charting; and how to create opportunities for session participants to identify situations in their own environments where they can apply this model of collaboration to improve specific health outcomes
Keywords: Aging, Immunizations
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.