necessary immunizations . According to Dr . Eva Stone , JCPS District Health Manager , that number represents 37 % of enrolled students . While under-immunized students live in every zip code in Jefferson County , three zip codes are home to the highest numbers of students who are not current on vaccines : 40214 , 40218 and 40219 .
JCPS has been working diligently to bring kids up to date , hosting a series of vaccine clinics over the last six months . Dr . Stone said they have offered vaccines at back-to-school events and have plans to make vaccines available in some schools . But the school system can ’ t do it alone . Pediatricians and their associates who provide primary care to children are our most vital links in closing the immunization gap . Implementation of practical , evidence-based strategies can increase immunization rates .
Assess the immunization status at every health care encounter . Make a strong , presumptive recommendation for vaccines that are due and upcoming . A recommendation from a trusted health care provider is consistently associated with acceptance of vaccination .
Query the electronic health record to identify children who are behind on vaccines and send reminder messages . Text message reminders may be feasible and effective with some families .
Consider ways to increase access . Does your practice have the flexibility to temporarily offer evening or weekend hours ? While immunization in the medical home is ideal and provides an opportunity to address a variety of issues related to healthy growth and development , leveraging community resources may be the quickest way to address the large number of children who need vaccines as the new school year begins . The Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness operates two vaccine clinics . The Newburg Clinic is staying open late on Tuesdays to meet the needs of more families . Pharmacy-based immunization may be a convenient option for families with older children . Families who choose this option should also be encouraged to schedule routine health maintenance visits with their child ’ s care provider .
Be prepared to answer questions about vaccines and address misconceptions . Local clinicians are encountering more vaccine hesitancy . Dr . Julia Mitchell , a pediatrician with Smoketown Family Wellness , notes that some families have simply fallen behind on vaccines and are ready to catch up , but she is also seeing families refusing vaccines on philosophical grounds . “ Equipping parents with facts and resources to reference concerning the safety and effectiveness of vaccines facilitates autonomy and knowledge for parents to make informed decisions ,” said Mitchell . “ Trust-building is a process .”
Document vaccines administered in the Kentucky Immunization Registry . Incomplete immunization records create extra work for practices attempting to administer vaccines to kids and have the potential to delay care . Incomplete immunization records may result in kids receiving unnecessary or inappropriately timed doses .
Think about your messaging . Over the last few years , the public narrative about vaccines has become increasingly dominated by individualism and the right to choose or refuse . The American Academy of Pediatrics recently partnered with Frameworks Institute to research the most effective ways to communicate with patients and families . They identified five strategies to shift the way the public thinks and talks about vaccines . The number one recommendation ? Open the discussion by highlighting the importance of vaccinations and “ community immunity ” for the common good before linking to benefit for individual children . According to Frameworks , the discussion might sound like this , “ Everyone in our community deserves to be healthy , and part of being healthy means getting vaccinated . It benefits all of us if every child in our community is vaccinated , because it means that all of us are more likely to be healthy .” To learn more , check out Boosting Public Discourse : Reframing Childhood Immunization at www . frameworksinstitute . org . 2
Do you have suggestions about ways we can work together to increase immunization rates in our community ? Email me at Kristina . Bryant @ louisville . edu .
References
1 https :// www . cdc . gov / vaccines / events / niam / index . html
2 https :// www . frameworksinstitute . org / toolkit / boosting-public-discourse-reframing-childhood-immunization /
Dr . Bryant is a pediatric infectious disease specialist at Norton Children ’ s . She also serves as the Associate Medical Director for the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness .
14 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE