Enhancing Immunization Rates in Two Urban Academic Primary Care Clinics: A Before and After Assessment.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Healthcare Quality Improvement
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Suboptimal immunization rates in US cities fall short of Healthy People 2020 Goals.
• Urban academic family medicine clinics, serving diverse populations including refugees, face challenges in achieving adequate vaccination coverage.
• Existing vaccination strategies require evaluation for effectiveness in improving public health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a lecture-based educational intervention on vaccination rates among clinic nurses and medical assistants.
• To determine if targeted education can improve immunization coverage in urban family medicine settings.
• To identify specific vaccines and patient populations affected by the educational intervention.

Main Methods:

• A quality improvement study was conducted in two urban academic family medicine clinics.
• The intervention involved three lectures delivered to nurses and medical assistants.
• Vaccination data from 1689 patients (872 pre-intervention, 817 post-intervention) were analyzed.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant increase was observed in human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine rates for 13-18-year-olds (90.7% to 100%).
• One clinic showed significant increases in pneumococcal, *Haemophilus influenzae* type B, and meningococcal conjugate vaccines for specific age groups.
• No improvements were noted in the refugee patient population, with a decrease in measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine rates.

Conclusions:

• Educational interventions alone demonstrate a limited impact on improving overall immunization rates.
• The effectiveness of educational interventions may vary across different vaccine types and patient demographics.
• Further strategies beyond education are likely needed to address suboptimal vaccination coverage, particularly in vulnerable populations.