Immunizations are acknowledged as one of the most effective and life-saving health interventions of modern medicine.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that the vaccinations given to infants and young children in the past 20 years alone will prevent an estimated 322 million illnesses and save 732,000 lives just in the United States. Similarly, an evidence-based systematic review of published and unpublished literature demonstrated IIS capabilities and actions in increasing vaccination rates, contributing heavily to the overall goal of reducing vaccine-preventable disease.
Seamless exchange of data allows for accurate clinical decision support at the point of care and comprehensive, aggregate data to meet population-based information needs (e.g., producing coverage rates and identifying pockets of need).
While the exchange of immunization information among EHRs and immunization information systems (IIS) is a high priority across healthcare, enhancements are needed to streamline and increase the quality of data exchanged.
In partnership with the CDC and HIMSS, the American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA), is ready to engage a broad set of stakeholders to embark on a shared effort to drive immunization interoperability forward through the creation of an Immunization Collaborative.
The goal of the collaborative is to improve all aspects of interoperability and harmonize immunization efforts to better support clinical care and public health. Both organizations are now working to define a clear governance framework for the collaborative.
Governance and Leadership
The Immunization Collaborative will offer an opportunity to leverage existing workgroups with governance structures already in place for standards development and implementation.
CDC, HIMSS and AIRA are currently working in concert to form an executive committee that will lead the planning and prioritization of the group’s efforts. This group will be made up of representatives from the EHR and IIS community, providers, along with key partners representing stakeholder groups such as health information exchanges, governmental organizations, interested associations and other critical entities that support IIS-EHR interoperability. It will take a diverse community of stakeholders to identify pain points and develop appropriate recommendations.
The initial work products for the Immunization Collaborative include:
- Producing an agenda to identify, prioritize and address key interoperability challenges for the immunization ecosystem
- Supporting the publication of consensus-based key recommendations and model practices for implementation Broad Stakeholder Engagement
The Immunization Collaborative is seeking stakeholders from across the health information technology ecosystem that have an interest and investment in improving the exchange of immunization data to ultimately improve health for everyone. The stakeholder group will be engaged through both remote and in-person events to identify, articulate, prioritize, select and improve specific challenges that remain in exchanging immunization data between EHRs and IIS.
Join Us
CDC, HIMSS and AIRA are inviting stakeholders to participate in the collaborative. If you would like to lend your voice to advance integration, please contact us at ImmunizationCollaborative@himss.org.
HIMSS Immunization Integration Program
A collaborative effort supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Immunization Integration Program seeks to empower organizations to better facilitate the flow of immunization data and improve U.S. immunization rates, which are linked to better health outcomes, reduced healthcare costs, and higher clinician productivity.
Hear from Our Participants
Increase Vaccination Rates: Adopt a Common Framework for Digital Immunization Data
Seamless Exchange of Immunization Data: A Population Health Priority
Let’s Make it Easier for Providers to Track Immunizations
Updated May 14, 2019