Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T20:19:32.472Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Increasing Pneumococcal Vaccination Rates Among Hospitalized Patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Mary Patricia Nowalk*
Affiliation:
Department of Family Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, St. Margaret Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Donald B. Middleton
Affiliation:
Department of Family Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, St. Margaret Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, St. Margaret Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Richard K. Zimmerman
Affiliation:
Department of Family Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, St. Margaret Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mary M. Hess
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Drug Use and Disease State Management Program, St. Margaret Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Greenville Health System, Greenville, South Carolina
Susan J. Skledar
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy and the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Drug Use and Disease State Management Program, St. Margaret Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Marjorie A. Jacobs
Affiliation:
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, St. Margaret Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
*
Department of Family Medicine and Clinical Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, 3518 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15261

Abstract

Objective:

To increase the proportion of inpatients vaccinated against pneumococcal infection.

Design:

Pre- and post-intervention study.

Setting:

University medical center–affiliated, suburban community teaching hospital.

Patients:

Unvaccinated inpatients 65 years and older and those 2 to 64 years old who had chronic medical conditions predisposing them to invasive pneumococcal infection.

Intervention:

The nursing staff screened newly admitted patients for eligibility based on age, diagnosis, or medications from a computer-generated admissions list and placed a pre-printed order form for the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPV) on the charts of eligible patients. Following the physician's order, the nursing staff administered the PPV and recorded it. Ongoing quality improvements including admission vaccination screening and computer-based record keeping were initiated to identify unvaccinated eligible patients and track vaccination status.

Results:

Efforts resulted in rates of in-hospital vaccination ranging from 3.1% to 7.9% (mean, 5.2% ± 1.7% [standard deviation]) and significant improvements in the assessment of previous vaccination status, reaching 54% of eligible patients after 1 year. Ascertainment of a previous vaccination increased significantly following the initiation of the use of admission forms that specifically assessed vaccination status and a system to permanently record vaccination status in an electronic medical record (P < .05).

Conclusion:

Concerted efforts using electronic medical records significantly improved the assessment and documentation of inpatient vaccination status. Greater improvement of the rates of in-hospital vaccination will require healthcare system–wide efforts such as a standing order policy for vaccinating all eligible patients. Standing orders for inpatient immunization supported by effective assessment and tracking systems have the potential to raise vaccination rates to the goals of Healthy People 2010 (Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2003;24:526-531)

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2003

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention of pneumococcal disease: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP). MMWR 1997;46:124.Google Scholar
2.Robinson, KA, Baughman, W, Rothrock, G, et al. Epidemiology of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infections in the United States, 1995-1998: opportunities for prevention in the conjugate vaccine era. JAMA 2001;285:17291735.Google Scholar
3.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Early Release of Selected Estimates Based on Data From the First Quarter of 2002 NHIS. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2002. Available at www.cdc.gov/nchs/about/major/nhis/released200209.htm.Google Scholar
4.U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2000.Google Scholar
5.Fedson, DS, Harward, MP, Reid, RA, Kaiser, DL. Hospital-based pneumococcal immunization: epidemiologic rationale from the Shenandoah study. JAMA 1990;264:11171122.Google Scholar
6.Gyorkos, TW, Tannenbaum, TN, Abrahamowicz, M, et al. Evaluation of the effectiveness of immunization delivery methods. Can J Public Health 1994;85(suppl) :S14S30.Google Scholar
7.Klein, RS, Adachi, N. Pneumococcal vaccine in the hospital: improved use and implications for high-risk patients. Arch Intern Med 1983;143:18781881.Google Scholar
8.Vondracek, TG, Trinh, P, Huycke, MM. A hospital-based pharmacy intervention program for pneumococcal vaccination. Arch Intern Med 1998;158:15431547.Google Scholar
9.Clancy, CM, Gelfman, D, Poses, RM. A strategy to improve the utilization of pneumococcal vaccine. J Gen Intern Med 1992;7:1418.Google Scholar
10.Shevlin, J, Summers-Bean, C, Thomas, D, Whitney, C, Todd, D, Ray, S. A systematic approach for increasing pneumococcal vaccination rates at an inner-city public hospital. Am J Prev Med 2002;22:9297.Google Scholar
11.Dexter, P, Perkins, S, Overhage, J, Maharry, K, Kohler, R, McDonald, C. A computerized reminder system to increase the use of preventive care for hospitalized patients. N Engl J Med 2001;345:965970.Google Scholar
12.Metersky, ML, Fine, JM, Tu, GS, et al. Lack of effect of a pneumonia clinical pathway on hospital-based pneumococcal vaccination rates. Am J Med 2001;110:141143.Google Scholar
13.Bloom, HG, Wheeler, DA, Linn, J. A managed care organization's attempt to increase influenza and pneumococcal immunizations for older adults in an acute care setting. J Am Geriatr Soc 1999;47:106110.Google Scholar
14.Nichol, KL. Ten-year durability and success of an organized program to increase influenza and pneumococcal vaccination rates among high-risk adults. Am J Med 1998;105:385392.Google Scholar
15.Klein, RS, Adachi, N. An effective hospital-based pneumococcal immunization program. Arch Intern Med 1986;146:327329.Google Scholar
16.Landis, S, Scarbrough, ML. Using a vaccine manager to enhance in-hospital vaccine administration. J Fam Pract 1995;41:364369.Google Scholar
17.Noe, CA, Markson, LJ. Pneumococcal vaccination: perceptions of primary care physicians. Prev Med 1998;27:767772.Google Scholar
18.Metersky, ML, Mennone, JZ, Fine, JM. Factors inhibiting use of the pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine: a survey of Connecticut physicians. Conn Med 1998;62:649654.Google Scholar
19.MacDonald, R, Baken, L, Nelson, A, Nichol, KL. Validation of self-report of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination status in elderly outpatients. Am J Prev Med 1999;16:173177.Google Scholar
20.Briss, PA, Rodewald, LE, Hinman, AR, et al. Reviews of evidence regarding interventions to improve vaccination coverage in children, adolescents, and adults. Am J Prev Med 2000;18:97140.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
21. Health Care Financing Administration. Conditions of participation for hospitals: basic hospital function, 1994. 42 CFR §482.23 (c) (2) (2002).Google Scholar
22.Jackson, IA, Benson, P, Sneller, VP. Safety of revaccination with pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine. JAMA 1999;281:243244.Google Scholar
23.Lee, D, Sun, T, Kemmerly, S, et al. Rapid implementation of a pneumococcal vaccine program in a multispecialty teaching hospital. J Clin Outcomes Manag 2002;9:141145.Google Scholar
24.Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Series H. Medicare and Medicaid programs; conditions of participation: immunization standards for hospitals, long-term care facilities, and home health agencies: final rule with comment period. Federal Register 2002;67:6180861814.Google Scholar