Increasing Pneumococcal Vaccination Rates Using Previsit Planning in Patients Age 65 and Older

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Internal Medicine
• Quality Improvement

Background:

• Pneumococcal vaccination reduces pneumonia hospitalization and mortality.
• Vaccination rates in adults 65+ have stagnated between 2019-2022.

Purpose of the Study:

• To enhance pneumococcal vaccine coverage in adults aged 65 and older within an academic internal medicine clinic.
• To implement and evaluate a quality improvement project utilizing previsit planning.

Main Methods:

• A phased quality improvement project was conducted, focusing on previsit planning.
• Medical assistants reviewed patient vaccination status and pended orders for eligible patients.
• The intervention was implemented across three phases with increasing team involvement.

Main Results:

• Pneumococcal vaccination rates increased significantly in all three intervention phases compared to baseline.
• Observed increases included: 7.5% to 33.3%, 8.9% to 39.6%, and 27.8% to 38.9% (all p < .05).

Conclusions:

• Previsit planning effectively improves pneumococcal vaccination uptake in ambulatory settings.
• This strategy distributes care gap responsibilities, potentially reducing provider burnout and improving clinic efficiency.