Impact of implementing a technology platform in community pharmacies to increase adult immunizations rates

Nizar K. Wehbi, Rajvi J. Wani, Donald G. Klepser, Janice Murry, Ali S. Khan

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

12 Scopus citations

Abstract

Over the course of this project, we utilized pharmacists at 159 community pharmacies in Nebraska and Iowa to administer vaccinations to adults 19 years of age or older with the objective of improving immunization rates in both states. We implemented a pharmacy-based technology platform and partnered with public health via the state immunization registries of both states to ensure that immunizations provided at the pharmacy were transmitted to the statewide registry, for which reporting is currently voluntary for health care providers. After using the technology platform for one year, an increase of immunization rates for influenza, herpes zoster, and pertussis vaccination rates by 37%, 12%, and 74%, respectively, was recorded in comparison to the prior year numbers. However, there was about 16% decrease in vaccination rates for pneumococcal vaccine. For the first time, the project's participating pharmacies in Nebraska reported immunization counts to their state's immunization registries. This project leveraged community pharmacies as healthcare destinations to achieve further gains in increasing immunization rates, improving the health of adults, and creating a community-wide network for prevention.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)56-60
Number of pages5
JournalVaccine
Volume37
Issue number1
DOIs
StatePublished - Jan 3 2019

Keywords

  • Adult immunization
  • Community pharmacies
  • Herpes zoster vaccine
  • Influenza vaccine
  • Pertussis vaccine
  • Pneumococcal vaccine

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Molecular Medicine
  • General Immunology and Microbiology
  • General Veterinary
  • Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
  • Infectious Diseases

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