Measuring immunization registry costs: promises and pitfalls

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Informatics
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Immunization registries are recommended by medical and public health professionals to meet national immunization targets.
• Significant resources are invested in registry development, yet cost data remains scarce.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the direct costs associated with maintaining a single immunization registry.
• To provide data on the financial investment required for registry operations.

Main Methods:

• Direct cost and resource utilization data were gathered through interviews with registry personnel and pediatric practice staff.
• Financial records were collected and analyzed.
• Direct observation was employed to supplement data collection.

Main Results:

• The estimated direct cost for maintaining the registry from 1995 to 1997 was $439,232.
• In 1997, the annual cost per immunized child in the registry was $5.26.
• Personnel expenses constituted at least 75% of total costs, with substantial donated administrative effort.

Conclusions:

• Establishing and maintaining immunization registries requires substantial financial resources.
• Personnel costs, especially for nontechnical staff, are a major driver of registry expenses; donated effort must be accounted for.
• Future studies should focus on prospective data collection and specific registry functions, alongside cost-effectiveness evaluations.