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Closing the Gap. Achieving coverage rate increases. Our destinations. How the itinerary was chosen. Grantees with greatest absolute % increase in coverage levels from 2001 to 2004 NIS were defined as “most improved” and received awards at NIC 2006
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Closing the Gap Achieving coverage rate increases
How the itinerary was chosen • Grantees with greatest absolute % increase in coverage levels from 2001 to 2004 NIS were defined as “most improved” and received awards at NIC 2006 • Visited all 7 awardees between September and November 2006
Study Objectives • Meet with key staff and external partners • Identify program characteristics and interventions that led to increased childhood immunization coverage levels • Find common themes and share information with all grantees
Starting at the top • Leadership is everything • Identify trusted immunization leaders to continually promote importance of vaccination: – Political (governor, mayor, congress member, secretary of health, etc) – Medical provider (AAP member, local respected private physician)
The importance of “culture” • Know your community • Understand local attitudes and values – Public health – Medical practice – Community
Ah, relationships… • Reach out and partner: – WIC practices – Private practices – AAP/AAFP – Hospitals – MCOs – Universities – Schools/daycares – Parent groups – Media reps. – Pharm. reps • Build a coalition that extends access into your communities
Raising provider awareness • Evaluate your VFC and AFIX programs – What is working? What could be better? • Use VFC and/or AFIX visits to develop relationships with private practices • Take all opportunities to educate • Be a resource, not a regulator • Be accessible and responsive
What’s passion got to do with it? • Devotion to the cause • Like who? – Internal staff at all levels – External partners: Coalition leaders, local practitioners, organizations, and service clubs (Kiwanis, Rotary) • You can’t teach passion, but you can find it in your community
Maintainingvisibility • Through…… – Good leadership – Understanding your environment – Strong partners/collaborators – Raising awareness – Using data – Devoted staff and community members
Challenges we all face • Could the immunization schedule be any more confusing? • Getting accurate records & timely entry of data • Access to provider offices (AFIX visits) • Exemptors • Immunization fatigue • Working with daycare providers • Reimbursement for providers
Next steps (2007) • Visit programs with consistently high coverage levels – Identify factors that make that possible • Visit program with lower coverage levels – Understand their barriers and challenges