Infectious Disease Screening and Vaccinations Guidelines for Patients Initiating Immunosuppression for Dermatologic...

Area of Science:

• Quality Improvement
• Infectious Diseases
• Immunology

Background:

• Patients on immunosuppressive medications require specialized screening and vaccination.
• Existing protocols may not adequately address the complex needs of this population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish a multidisciplinary Pre-Immunosuppression (Pre-IS) Clinic.
• To develop consensus guidelines for infectious disease screening and immunizations for immunosuppressed patients.
• To optimize the clinical workflow for the Pre-IS Clinic.

Main Methods:

• A multidisciplinary committee developed consensus guidelines.
• Guidelines covered chronic/latent infections, immunizations, and household contacts.
• Workflow processes for the Pre-IS Clinic were streamlined.

Main Results:

• A Pre-IS Clinic was successfully implemented.
• Comprehensive guidelines were created and adopted.
• Optimized workflow enhanced service delivery.

Conclusions:

• Multidisciplinary quality improvement initiatives can effectively establish specialized clinics.
• The Pre-IS Clinic model ensures appropriate screening and vaccination for immunosuppressed patients.
• This approach serves as a model for improving care for vulnerable patient populations.