Leveraging Interdisciplinary Teams for Pre-Visit Planning to Improve Pneumococcal Immunization Rates Among Internal Medicine Subspecialty Practices

Abstract

Background: Despite the ready availability of pneumococcal vaccines and recommendation of vaccination by Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the immunization rates among adults less than 65 years of age with chronic and immunocompromised conditions remain low. Methods: This interventional (cohort) study aimed to improve the pneumococcal vaccination rate for patients with an increased risk of pneumococcal disease by utilizing a three-pronged approach. This included: (1) clinician education webinar, (2) pre-visit counseling performed by registered nurses, targeted toward patients with upcoming appointments, to address vaccination status, and (3) modified pre-visit interdisciplinary team huddle with clinicians and registered nurses to review which patients are amenable to vaccination at the time of visit and those who may benefit from re-engagement and further motivational interviewing. After the completion of the 10-week intervention, study organizers reviewed the percent of patients with completed pneumococcal vaccinations. Results: In this 10-week rapid cycle initiative, a total of 482 patients were eligible for vaccination. During the intervention phase, 370 patients were contacted and of these 38% of patients were amenable to receiving a vaccine during the pre-visit counseling, 5% were previously vaccinated, 18% were not amenable, and 38% were unreachable prior to visit. This initiative resulted in a 43% increase in the vaccination rate in this cohort. Conclusions: The significant increase in vaccination rate supports the utilization of a framework in the multidisciplinary approach to pre-visit planning in non-primary care specialties and other vaccination efforts, especially emerging diseases such as COVID-19. Future directions of study include the efficacy of telemedicine counseling with a same-day appointment for vaccination, co-location of registered nurses within the practice sites, as well as the use of other ancillary staff (such as medical office assistants) to engage patients in pre-visit planning.

Vaccine knowledge, attitudes, and recommendation practices among health care providers in New York State

“…The ACIP has provided written support of these discussions by subspecialty care providers to reduce missed opportunities for vaccinations, particularly for patients with underlying medical conditions placing them at high risk for vaccine-preventable disease. 32 With over three-quarters of surveyed healthcare providers expressing confidence in vaccine information from their own medical organizations, the delivery-specific vaccine guidance to specialty care providers, designed to improve vaccine confidence and reinforce their role in promoting vaccines for disease prevention, may influence and facilitate vaccine discussions in these healthcare settings.…”