Improving Immunizations in Children: A Clinical Break-even Analysis.
BACKGROUND
Immunizing the population is a vital public health priority. This article describes a resident-led continuous quality improvement project to improve the immunization rates of children under 3 years of age at two urban family medicine residency clinics in Salt Lake City, Utah, as well as a break-even cost analysis to the clinics for the intervention.


METHODS
Immunization records were distributed to provider-medical assistant teamlets daily for each pediatric patient scheduled in clinic to decrease missed opportunities. An outreach intervention by letter, followed by telephone call reminders, was conducted to reach children under 3 years of age who were behind on recommended immunizations for age (total n=457; those behind on immunizations n=101). Immunization rates were monitored at 3 months following start of intervention. A break-even analysis to the clinics for the outreach intervention was performed.


RESULTS
Immunizations were improved from a baseline of 75.1% (n=133) and 79.6% (n=223) at the two clinics to 92.1% (n=163) and 89.6% (n=251), respectively, at 3 months following the start of intervention (P<0.01). The average revenue per immunization given was $81.57. The financial break-even point required 36 immunizations to be administered.


CONCLUSIONS
Significant improvement in the immunization rate of patients under 3 years of age at two family medicine residency training clinics was achieved through decreasing missed opportunities for immunization in clinic, and with outreach through letters and follow-up phone calls. The intervention showed positive revenue to both clinics.
Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA Kyle.jones@hsc.utah.edu.
Kyle Bradford
KB
Jones
University of Utah Family Medicine Residency Program, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Current Affiliation: Intermountain Health Care, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Chad
C
Spain
Public Health Division, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Hannah
H
Wright
Public Health Division, Department of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Lisa H
LH
Gren
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D005194:Family Practice / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D058996:Quality Improvement; D014589:Utah; D014611:Vaccination / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
Immunizations; Public health; Quality improvement; Resident education