vaccination

Changes to Colorado’s school entry immunization process

After a robust legislative session, changes to Colorado’s school entry immunization process will take effect when students return for the 2021-2022 school year, beginning July 1.  The changes, approved by the legislature and signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis on June 26, 2020 and further codified by the Colorado Board of Health in November…

Resources for Both New and Seasoned Vaccinators

COVID-19 vaccination has been challenging for both seasoned vaccinators and those newer to vaccine administration. The following resources may be especially useful to those who do not have a lot of vaccine administration experience but are involved in the COVID-19 vaccination response. These resources may also be useful to vaccinators with more experience: Understanding How…

Immunization Reminder/Recall: Why It’s Important & How to Do It

Having worked with providers over the last several years to develop quality improvement strategies to improve vaccination rates, one thing has become clear… immunization reminder/recall systems work, and you can’t use one without the other. Reminder and recall, although two separate activities, must exist together to raise immunization rates and remind patients and parents how…

The Importance of Influenza Vaccination for the 2020 – 2021 Season

Ensuring immunization services are maintained (or reinitiated) is essential for protecting individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases and outbreaks. Influenza vaccination will be doubly important this 2020-2021 influenza season by reducing: The impact of respiratory illnesses in the population, and The burden on an already strained healthcare system. During the COVID-19 pandemic, reducing the overall…

Improving Data Quality in the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS)

Also known as Colorado’s immunization registry, the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS) is a confidential, population-based, secure computerized system that collects and consolidates individual-level vaccination and exemption data for Coloradans of all ages from a variety of sources. Approximately 190 pediatric clinics currently report immunization data to CIIS.  For this issue of the American Academy…

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What Colorado Doctors Can Do in the Face of a Severe Influenza Outbreak

This is a guest post from Gergory Gahm, MD. It contains his opinion as a clinician and is not necessarily reflective of the views of CAFP or its membership. If any of our members would like to continue this conversation, be in touch and we’ll host the conversation. We are buried in Influenza and almost…

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IQIP: New Immunization Quality Improvement Program

Immunization Quality Improvement for Providers (IQIP) is the new Quality Improvement (QI) program from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that replaced the Assessment, Feedback, Incentive, eXchange (AFIX) program.  In 1995, the Senate instructed CDC to “ensure that all states/awardees receiving immunization infrastructure/operational grant funds conduct annual provider assessments in all public-sector clinics…