Calculating a clinic's childhood immunization rate. Costs and returns.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the cost of determining the pediatric immunization rate of a family practice clinic.


METHODS
Medical records audit and cost analysis.


METHODS
A family medicine residency training clinic.


METHODS
All clinic patients aged 2 months to 2 years, totaling 282 medical records.


METHODS
Cost and hours needed to complete the project, pediatric immunization rate, and barriers to pediatric immunizations.


RESULTS
The total project cost was $1320.25. Sixty-nine percent of the study group was up-to-date on immunizations. Additional patients were found to have received immunizations from the local health department, which increased the immunization rate to 73.4%. The immunization rate declined significantly with age. The highest rate was 83% for children between the ages of 2 and 3 months. Immunization barriers included parental refusal, missed appointments, and inappropriate withholding of vaccinations. Only 13 records clearly documented why the child was behind on immunizations.


CONCLUSIONS
Calculating a family practice clinic's immunization rate can be easy and has modest costs. The return is an awareness of immunization barriers and the potential to increase the childhood immunization rate.
Chapman
R W
RW
Shasta-Cascade Family Practice Residency, University of California, Davis, USA.
Hacker
T W
TW
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002140:California; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005194:Family Practice; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012984:Software; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014611:Vaccination / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*