Setting the Course A Strategic Vision for Immunization: Part 3: Summary of the Los Angeles Workshop (2003) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
State and Local Immunization Issues in California
State and Local Immunization Issues in California
Pages 18-28
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 18... ...
Local health departments play a critical role in implementing immunization programs through activities that can include operating immunization clinics, conducting community outreach, and with the advent of Vaccines for Children (VFC) , working with participating private providers who deliver most immunization services.
|
From page 19... ...
. state also purchases 700,000 doses of influenza vaccine for use by county health departments to help assure the delivery of immunization services to the high-risk population.
|
From page 20... ...
She expressed concern, however, that the current shortages of DTaP and varicella vaccines might contribute to lower coverage rates. Health plans, which must report their immunization coverage rates as a Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set measure, are also becoming concerned about the impact of vaccine shortages.
|
From page 21... ...
Despite these challenges, Los Angeles County's immunization coverage rates, at about 76 percent for 2-year-olds in 2000, are similar to state and national rates. Rates for children in low-income families are slightly lower, but the difference is not statistically significant.
|
From page 22... ...
The current priorities for the immunization program in Los Angeles include ensuring the availability of free childhood immunizations, developing better programs to serve the children who are hardest to reach, directing additional resources to education and quality assurance activities for the large population of private providers delivering immunization services, and strengthening the immunization registry.
|
From page 23... ...
Some of the activities included in the immunization program are community coverage assessments through telephone surveys and the review of kindergarten and day-care records; community education and outreach, especially immunization assessment and referral activities, such as activities for clients at WIC clinics; development and management of the immunization registry; and assessment of immunization coverage rates and provider
|
From page 24... ...
As a result, the immunization program now relies on about 50 contract staff, but that approach has put the county in conflict with the employee union. In terms of services, the immunization program currently maintains free walk-in immunization services at more than 40 sites, and over 150 private providers are participating in VFC.
|
From page 25... ...
As a result, outreach activities in San Diego County are focused on helping clinics and private providers improve immunization coverage among their patient populations rather than on community education. Immunization assessment services are available to the public by telephone, from the immunization coalition's website (www.immunization-sd.org)
|
From page 26... ...
At the national level, reduced funding for immunization efforts led to tensions with the WIC programs. Many immunization programs cut their support for the immunization assessment and referral activities, but expectations for continued collaboration with WIC clinics remained.6 6The Clinton Administration issued a presidential order for a plan for immunization assessment and referral activities at WIC clinics, which resulted in a mandate for such efforts, starting in October 2002.
|
From page 27... ...
This creates an added burden for providers participating in the Healthy Families Program because they must order and track that vaccine separately from the VFC vaccine. Moreover, provider payments for immunization services are relatively low because they were set based on an expectation of other funding for vaccine purchase.
|
From page 28... ...
For example, San Diego County may discontinue its support for the immunization registry. In Los Angeles, cuts are expected for the DHS facilities and staff where the health department provides immunization services.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.