Registry Support for Immunization Programs

National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC): February 5, 2003

Background on the Programmatic Registry Operations Work Group Standards of Excellence

The growing literature on immunization registries highlights the benefits and cost savings of registries to health care providers, managed care organizations, payers, schools, and health departments. However, little could be found that highlighted how registries could support the rest of a state or local immunization program.

In 2001, CDC sought to remedy this lack of information by identifying standards and best practices by which an immunization project can more closely integrate its registry functions into their program strategies, namely vaccine management, provider quality assurance, service delivery, consumer information, surveillance and assessment. The CDC enlisted the help of the American Immunization Registry Association and the Association of Immunization Managers to develop these standards. As a result, the Registry Standards of Excellence in Support of an Immunization Program was developed with the participation of immunization program managers and registry managers from across the country, and completed in October 2001.

The term Standards of Excellence was selected because these standards are ones to which all immunization programs and registries can strive, that is, they are more of a ceiling than a minimum set of requirements or floor. The Standards are organized by the core immunization program components established by CDC for the Section 317 grantees.

The Standards of Excellence document is a companion to a number of existing documents, specifically, the National Immunization Program's Immunization Program Operations Manual, the minimum registry functions approved by NVAC, and the registry certification process. Each contributes unique but complementary guidance to ensure more highly functional registries that meet both the external needs of immunization providers and the internal needs of an immunization program.

Resolution

The NVAC concludes that the growing maturity and functionality of immunization registries demonstrates they can have an increasingly important and critical role within immunization programs. In particular, the recent joint efforts of the Association of Immunization Managers, the American Immunization Registry Association, and the National Immunization Program have highlighted ways in which registries can provide important support to other core program strategies, such as assessment, vaccine management, reminder-recall, and provider quality assurance. The NVAC urges the CDC to continue working with its partners to identify and disseminate best practices for registry support of an immunization program, such as those found in the Registry Standards of Excellence in Support of an Immunization Program.

Welcome Center | What's New | Publications | Contact Us

CDC Home | Search | Health Topics A-Z

Last updated: May 6, 2003

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Vaccine Program Office