Leveraging Interdisciplinary Teams for Pre-Visit Planning to Improve Pneumococcal Immunization Rates Among Internal...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Preventive Medicine
• Vaccinology

Background:

• Pneumococcal vaccination rates remain low in adults under 65 with chronic or immunocompromised conditions, despite CDC recommendations.
• Low immunization rates pose a significant risk for preventable pneumococcal disease in vulnerable populations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To improve pneumococcal vaccination rates in at-risk adult patients.
• To evaluate a novel three-pronged intervention strategy combining clinician education, nurse-led counseling, and interdisciplinary team huddles.

Main Methods:

• An interventional cohort study implemented a 10-week initiative.
• Key components included clinician education webinars, pre-visit counseling by registered nurses, and modified interdisciplinary team huddles.
• The intervention focused on identifying and engaging patients amenable to vaccination during scheduled appointments.

Main Results:

• The initiative targeted 482 eligible patients, with 370 contacted during the 10-week intervention.
• Pre-visit counseling identified 38% amenable to vaccination, with an additional 5% previously vaccinated.
• The study achieved a significant 43% increase in the pneumococcal vaccination rate within the cohort.

Conclusions:

• A multidisciplinary, pre-visit planning framework effectively enhances vaccination rates in non-primary care settings.
• The approach shows promise for improving immunization coverage for various diseases, including emerging infectious diseases like COVID-19.
• Future research should explore telemedicine counseling, co-location of nursing staff, and utilization of ancillary staff for pre-visit planning.