Recommendations and Guidelines:

Standards for Immunization Practices
Child & Adolescent and Adult Immunization

More than a decade ago, two sets of standards were introduced to guide the delivery of immunizations for children and adults. Under the leadership of National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC), both sets of standards were recently revised. The revised standards focus on

• making vaccines easily accessible
• effectively communicating vaccination information
• implementing strategies to improve vaccination rates
• developing community partnerships to reach target patient populations

Child and Adolescent Immunization Standards

List of Standards for Child and Adolescent Immunization Practices

Availability of Vaccines

1. Vaccination services are readily available.
2. Vaccinations are coordinated with other healthcare services and provided in a medical home when possible.
3. Barriers to vaccination are identified and minimized.
4. Patient costs are minimized.

Assessment of Vaccination Status

5. Healthcare professionals review the vaccination and health status of patients at every encounter to determine which vaccines are indicated.
6. Healthcare professionals assess for and follow only medically indicated contraindications.

Effective Communication about Vaccine Benefits and Risks

7. Parents/guardians and patients are educated about the benefits and risks of vaccination in a culturally appropriate manner and in easy-to-understand language.

Proper Storage and Administration of Vaccines and Documentation of Vaccinations

8. Healthcare professionals follow appropriate procedures for vaccine storage and handling.
9. Up-to-date, written vaccination protocols are accessible at all locations where vaccines are administered.
10. Persons who administer vaccines and staff who manage or support vaccine administration are knowledgeable and receive ongoing education.
11. Healthcare professionals simultaneously administer as many indicated vaccine doses as possible.
12. Vaccination records for patients are accurate, complete, and easily accessible.
13. Healthcare professionals report adverse events following vaccination promptly and accurately to the Vaccine Adverse Events Reporting System (VAERS) and are aware of a separate program, the National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (NVICP).
14. All personnel who have contact with patients are appropriately vaccinated.

Implementation of Strategies to Improve Vaccination Coverage

15. Systems are used to remind parents/guardians, patients, and healthcare professionals when vaccinations are due and to recall those who are overdue.
16. Office- or clinic-based patient record reviews and vaccination coverage assessments are performed annually.
17. Healthcare professionals practice community-based approaches.

Read the article published in Pediatrics about revised standards for child & adolescent immunization.

For more information about ways to implement the standards and improve child and adolescent immunization coverage in your practice, review the detailed standards online (exit) or download a copy (exit).

Adult Immunization Standards

List of Standards for Adult Immunization Practices

Make vaccinations available.

1. Adult vaccination services are readily available.
2. Barriers to receiving vaccines are identified and minimized.
3. Patient "out-of-pocket" vaccination costs are minimized.

Assess patients' vaccination standards.

4. Healthcare professionals routinely review the vaccination status of patients.
5. Healthcare professionals assess for valid contraindications.

Communicate effectively with patients.

6. Patients are educated about risks and benefits of vaccination in easy-to-understand language.

Administer and document vaccinations properly.

7. Written vaccination protocols are available at all locations where vaccines are administered.
8. Persons who administer vaccines are properly trained.
9. Healthcare professionals recommend simultaneous administration of indicated vaccine doses.
10. Vaccination records for patients are accurate and easily accessible.
11. All personnel who have contact with patients are appropriately vaccinated.

Implement strategies to improve vaccination rates.

12. Systems are developed and used to remind patients and healthcare professionals when vaccinations are due and to recall patients who are overdue.
13. Standing orders for vaccinations are employed.
14. Regular assessments of vaccination coverage levels are conducted in a provider's practice.

Partner with the community.

15. Patient-oriented and community-based approaches are used to reach the target population.

Read the article published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (AJPM) (exit) about revised standards for adult immunization.

For detailed information about ways to implement the standards and improve adult immunization coverage in your practice, review the standards in detail

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