Related Experiment Video
Updated: Apr 19, 2026
A Precision Medicine Tool for Measurement and Monitoring of Hemoglobin S in Sickle Cell Disease Patients Receiving Transfusion Therapy
Improvement in influenza vaccination rates in a pediatric sickle cell disease clinic
Amy E Sobota1, Patricia L Kavanagh, William G Adams
1Boston Medical Center Department of Pediatrics, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts.
Insights
Influenza vaccination rates for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) significantly increased using quality improvement methods. This strategy boosted vaccination coverage to 90% in the second year, exceeding national goals.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Hematology
- Public Health
- Quality Improvement Science
Background:
- Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) face elevated risks from influenza complications.
- Despite recommendations, influenza vaccination rates in pediatric SCD patients are below 50%.
Purpose of the Study:
- To improve influenza vaccination rates in pediatric patients with SCD to 80% over two seasons.
- To achieve the Healthy People 2020 goal for vaccination coverage in this high-risk group.
Main Methods:
- Implemented quality improvement strategies including parent and provider education.
- Utilized an enhanced electronic health record (EHR) and a SCD patient registry.
- Employed reminder and recall systems managed by a patient navigator.
Main Results:
- Achieved 80% influenza vaccination rate in the 2012-2013 season.
- Increased vaccination rate to 90% in the 2013-2014 season.
- Early season vaccination rates were double those of the general population.
Conclusions:
- Quality improvement methods effectively increase influenza vaccination rates in pediatric SCD patients.
- Higher vaccination coverage may lead to reduced healthcare utilization and costs.
- This approach demonstrates a successful strategy for managing vaccine-preventable diseases in vulnerable pediatric populations.
Background:
Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) are at increased risk of complications from influenza. However, despite widespread recommendations that these patients receive an annual influenza immunization, reported vaccination rates remain very low at under 50%.
Procedure:
Our aim was to increase the influenza vaccination rate among our pediatric patients with SCD aged 6 months to 21 years over two influenza seasons, 2012-2013 and 2013-2014, to 80%, consistent with the Health People 2020 goal. We used multiple quality improvement methods, based on the literature and our previous experience in other aspects of SCD care, including parent and provider education, enhancement of our EHR, use of a SCD patient registry and reminder and recall done by a patient navigator.
Results:
We vaccinated 80% of our pediatric patients with SCD for influenza during the 2012-2013 season and 90% of patients in 2013-2014. Our early season vaccination rates were nearly double that of those for the general population.
Conclusions:
Use of quality improvement methods can increase rates of influenza vaccination for this high-risk population, suggesting that less health care utilization and lower cost might result.
More Related Videos
06:34An Optimized Hemagglutination Inhibition HI Assay to Quantify Influenza-specific Antibody Titers
Published on: December 1, 2017
08:04Development of an IFN-γ ELISpot Assay to Assess Varicella-Zoster Virus-specific Cell-mediated Immunity Following Umbilical Cord Blood Transplantation
Published on: July 9, 2014
Related Concept Videos
01:51Vaccinations
01:27Influenza
01:30Pneumonia V: Nursing management and Prevention
The nurse must practice strict medical asepsis and adhere to infection control guidelines to minimize healthcare-associated infections.
Enhance airway patency
Position the patient correctly to facilitate drainage of the affected lung segments. Manual or mechanical percussion and vibration can also be employed....
01:26Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Excretion