title: Improving pediatric immunization rates: description of a resident-led clinical continuous quality improvement project.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Increased emphasis is being placed on the continuous quality improvement (CQI) education of residents of all specialties. This article describes a resident-led continuous quality improvement (CQI) project, based on a novel curriculum, to improve the immunization rates of children under 2 years old at the Madsen Family Health Center (MHC).
  
  
  METHODS
  All third-year residents were trained in the FOCUS-PDSA CQI methodology through concurrent didactic lectures and experience leading the CQI team. The CQI team included clinical staff led by a third-year family medicine resident and mentored by a member of the family medicine faculty. Immunization records were distributed to provider-medical assistant teamlets daily for each pediatric patient scheduled in clinic as the intervention. Compliance with the intervention (process measure), as well as immunization rates at 2 and 5 months post-intervention (outcome measure), were monitored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immunization records were printed on 84% of clinic days from October 24, 2011 to March 31, 2012. The percentage of patients immunized at baseline was 66%. The percentage immunized as of December 31, 2011 was 96% and was 91% as of March 31, 2012.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  An important educational experience was organized for third-year family medicine residents through learning CQI skills, leading a CQI team, and directing a CQI project to completion. Significant improvement in the percentage of patients under 2 years old immunized at the MHC was achieved by presenting provider-medical assistant teamlets with immunization records of all pediatric patients on the daily clinic schedule.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah.
authors.forename: Kyle Bradford
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Lisa H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Gren
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Backman
mesh_terms: D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D022681:Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005194:Family Practice / Q000193:education* / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D017589:Immunization Programs / Q000379:methods*; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023321:Poliovirus Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D058996:Quality Improvement
chemical_list: D019433:Chickenpox Vaccine; D022681:Diphtheria-Tetanus-acellular Pertussis Vaccines; D018073:Haemophilus Vaccines; D017325:Hepatitis B Vaccines; D022542:Measles-Mumps-Rubella Vaccine; D023321:Poliovirus Vaccines