CDC Technical Assistance Team

Designated IIS Consultants for States/Cities/Territories

 

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How CDC Provides IIS Technical Assistance

Historically, the Immunization Information Systems Support Branch (IISSB) has provided technical support to our grantees using several approaches including funding initiatives, collaboration on evaluation activities, educational activities, and routine site visits. Progress in the development and maintenance of Immunization Information Systems (IIS) over the years, new initiatives such as pandemic influenza preparedness, and resource constraints require a new approach to how CDC provides technical support to IIS grantees and other stakeholders. Specifically, technical support will shift from the use of routine visits to an approach that identifies issues and responds with targeted interventions or remediation strategies.

In an effort to ensure greater effectiveness in the technical support for all Immunization Programs, IIS staff and other partners, IISSB will implement a new process for the provision of technical assistance. Effective July 19, 2010, all IIS projects have been assigned to a technical assistance team of designated IISSB consultants as shown above.

Any IIS related questions or issues requiring IIS guidance or support should be directed to the IIS consultant assigned to that grantee. The designated IIS consultant upon receiving an inquiry will be charged with the responsibility of pursuing an answer or resolution to the issue or question and serve as the main point of contact for any follow-up. Grantees or partners requiring technical support may contact the designated consultant either by calling the consultant or e-mail at IISINFO@cdc.gov.

This new arrangement creates an opportunity for each request to be afforded a dedicated individual to accept the inquiry, respond to the inquiry, or provide an immediate triage of the issue and be responsible for ensuring resolution of the issue. The technical assistance team will be supported by internal IISSB and external SMEs plus the IISSB management team to ensure that all available resources are used to respond to IIS needs and requests. SMEs have been specifically identified to cover the various areas of IIS operations both from a programmatic and technical perspective.

In order to facilitate the process described above, we will continue to work collaboratively with all Program Operations Branch Project Officers, Immunization Program Managers, IIS Mangers/Coordinators, the American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA), the Association of Immunization Managers (AIM), the Public Health Informatics Institute (PHII), and other subject matter experts (SMEs). By ensuring that any IIS-related issue is identified and appropriately processed using follow-up protocols, we are confident that IIS technical assistance needs will be effectively addressed.

Thanks for your cooperation and assistance in allowing us to serve you more effectively. In the mean time, should you have any questions or concerns regarding this new arrangement, please let me know by contacting me directly at (404) 639–8277 or via email at gau5@cdc.gov.

Gary A. Urquhart
Chief
Immunization Information Systems Support Branch
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Nancy Fasano
Chief
Program Operations Branch
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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