1. Provider Recruitment and Retention in an Immunization Registry
37th National Immunization Conference
March 19, 2003
Chicago, Illinois

2. Authors Katie Reed, MPA - PHS Cynthia O’Connor, MPA - OCHD
Susan Maute - PHS
Maureen Murphy, MPA - PHS

3. Partners In Health Systems
Company contracted to manage, maintain and support regional registries across much of Upstate New York since 1995.
Registry Application, “HealthyShot”.
Currently installed in 36+ counties across NYS.
Support team comprised of coordinator, support, and development all employed by PHS.

4. The “WE” of the project PHS OCHD – Lead Agency MCHD – Lead Agency
Project Director
Project Coordinator
Software Engineer
Database Administrator
Account Manager
Implementation Representative
OCHD – Lead Agency
Project Administrator
Health Educator
Outreach Staff
MCHD – Lead Agency
NYSDOH Regional Staff and LHU staff

5. HealthyShot Regions
Regional Registries operating within a state-wide system.
Work in close collaboration with lead agencies (Monroe and Onondaga County) and county health departments.
All provider participation is voluntary.
Written consent gained per patient.

6. Where Healthy Shot is Used
NIAGARA
MONROE
SUFFOLK
NASSAU
ROCKLAND
NEW YORK CITY
CHAUTAUQUA
CATTARAUGUS
ALLEGANY
WYOMING
GENESEE
ORLEANS
LIVINGSTON
WAYNE
ONTARIO
YATES
SCHUYLER
STEUBEN
CHEMUNG
SENECA
TOMPKINS
BROOME
CORTLAND
CAYUGA
ONONDAGA
OSWEGO
LEWIS
MADISON
CHENANGO
OTSEGO
DELAWARE
HERKIMER
FULTON
MONTGOMERY
SCHOHARIE
GREENE
COLUMBIA
ALBANY
RENSSELAER
SARATOGA
WASHINGTON
WARREN
HAMILTON
SULLIVAN
ULSTER
DUTCHESS
JEFFERSON
STLAWRENCE
FRANKLIN
CLINTON
ESSEX
ORANGE
PUTNAM
ONEIDA
ERIE
TIOGA
WESTCHESTER
SCHENECTADY
Original CNYIR region
Statewide Deployment using
CNYIR model

7. Our Goal
Provider owns the Immunization Registry in the office, meaning….
Timely data
Quality data
Becomes the priority for both the registry and the provider… leads to sustainable registry.

8. Our Approach
Recruitment Strategies
Retention Strategies

9. Recruitment Strategies
Message Delivery
Consistent across all sources
Providers first, show respect
Meet them at every level
Physician
Office Manager/Nurse Manager
Clerk
Share the milestones, often. No one wants to left out.

10. Perseverance and Patience
The message is solid, don’t lose faith.
Some like to be courted.
Sometimes barriers to the office, can be overcome with a little outside facilitation.
Don’t stop. It may take days or it may take years, but either way the commitment is worth it.

11. Outline Processes The unknown is often easy to avoid
Show what is next to everyone
Be clear and detailed
Implementation Workbook
What are you willing to do, what do you want them to do?

12. Retention Strategies
Know your sites, rank them i.e. Beginner, Intermediate, Operational
Care Calls
User Meetings
Newsletters
Milestones
Listen to their requests – reference “Quasi-technical Solutions to Provider Participation”
Survey – reference “User Satisfaction Survey and Quality Improvement”
Team Orientation
AFIX Worksheet – tie into IAP

13. Benefits – both Recruitment and Retention
Schools
Daycares
MCO
Lead
WIC
Healthy Start
Highlight unexpected results such as school to the recruitment process

14. Milestones- both Recruitment and Retention
These are important for everyone
Don’t just focus on the big, but the incremental
Celebrate often
Communicate often

15. How do we keep track of success
Simple graphs that show us we are on target
Increase in sites
Increase in children
Increase in immunizations
Review them often to make sure what you do is working.

16. Sample Graph
GROWTH IN CHILDREN

17. Final Comments
Don’t forget the importance of your goal, it is more then just collecting data.
Remember your team includes the entire community, both the registry folks and those using the registry.
Make sure the registry brings value to the entire community.

18. Contact Information
Katie Reed
Director, Public Health
Partners In Health Systems
PO Box 249
5703 Enterprise Parkway
Dewitt, NY
ext 7217