title: Strategies for improving pneumococcal vaccination in eligible patients.
abstract: Despite the fact that invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae remains a leading cause of death, current levels of immunization in the at risk population remain low and well below the 90% goal for Healthy People 2010. A number of intervention strategies to increase immunization rates (for influenza and pneumonia) have been demonstrated to be effective in increasing these rates when used alone or in combination. A summary of this literature is presented including recent data on the effectiveness of pay-for-performance approaches for increasing preventive care. Data are also presented on intervention strategies judged to be most effective in a large health care system, the Veterans Health Administration, which has essentially reached the Healthy People 2010 goal for pneumococcal immunization.
authors.affiliation: Quality Management Officer, Veterans Integrated Service Network #3, 130 W. Kingsbridge Road, Bronx, NY 10468, USA. vhav03smithj@med.va.gov
authors.forename: James M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Thomas J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Craig