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Measuring immunization registry costs: promises and pitfalls.
K J Rask1, K J Wells, S A Kohler
1Division of General Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. krask@emory.edu
American Journal of Preventive Medicine
|March 21, 2000
Summary
Maintaining an immunization registry costs approximately $5.26 per child annually, with personnel expenses forming the largest cost component. Accurate accounting for donated administrative effort is crucial for understanding true immunization registry costs.
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.