Project Increases Pneumococcal Vaccination Rates in Rheumatology Patients
A multicomponent intervention can significantly increase pneumococcal vaccination rates in pediatric rheumatology patients, researchers report.
"The interventions outlined in our article can easily be implemented in pediatric rheumatology practices or other subspecialty clinics," Dr. Julia G. Harris from Children's Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, Mo., told Reuters Health by email. "It takes additional time, but is well worth the effort to improve the care of our patients."
Dr. Harris's team initiated a quality improvement project they hoped would increase PCV13 rates to 30% in the first four months.
The intervention included a discussion meeting, purchase of sufficient stocks of vaccine to implement the program, a formal presentation to providers and nurses of the current vaccination recommendations, and an immunization algorithm they displayed throughout the clinic to allow providers to determine if a pneumococcal vaccine was indicated.
Read more via Reuters Health.