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Is Your Immunization Information System Future-Ready?

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When a disease such as polio, measles and, most recently, COVID-19, comes along, the vital role of immunizations becomes ever more evident. Thanks to vaccines, many of the diseases that once caused severe, long-term illness and death are no longer life-threatening. Many have become all but extinct.

Here are some specific program results that demonstrate the possibilities: The CDC estimates that the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program can help prevent 419 million illnesses, avoid 936,000 deaths and save almost $1.9 trillion in societal costs. [Source: Vaccines for Children (VFC): Protecting Children | CDC]

Just as some diseases have faced or may be facing extinction, so are outdated systems for managing immunization data, with legacy hardware and code creating silos and bottlenecks across Immunization Information Systems (IIS). As patients and providers alike demand greater access to and analysis of immunization data — and as states work to comply with changing system certification standards — the need for an integrated, next-generation IIS solution has never been greater.

Improving the accuracy and use of immunization info

Merely collecting and storing immunization data isn’t enough. We need more robust systems and solutions that enable actionable insight — and possibly even prevent future public health emergencies through the application of predictive analytics.
A modernized immunization solution should support all key stakeholders by ensuring maximum security, integrity and compliance with federal and state requirements surrounding this vital data. That includes creating a seamless experience as users access and use the information.

Pillars of next-generation immunization management

With more than 27 years of immunization experience under our belts, Gainwell Technologies is taking an integrated, analytics-driven approach to IIS modernization, prioritizing the following key areas to ensure these systems are equipped for the demands of today and primed for the future.

  1. A user-friendly interface that maintains control of security rights, supports mobility and provides transparency into public information
  2. Simple configurability for federal and state business rules, including interoperability with other modules
  3. Actionable insights into vaccine coverage rates along with the ability to predict future coverage rates
  4. Insight into barriers indicating the need for greater protection and opportunities for improvement based on vaccine coverage versus reaction to outbreaks

Vaccines are vital to the health of populations. By making vaccines — and information about them — more accessible and widely understood, states and public health organizations can create healthier communities and take proactive measures to prevent future public health emergencies.

Gainwell currently is maintaining 1.68 billion-plus immunization records across more than 158 million lives. In addition to contributing to healthier outcomes, an immunization solution can save valuable time for health departments and providers. For example, research found that one state health department could save as much as $11,740 annually by using an IIS for some Vaccines for Children program administrative tasks. [Source: Cost savings associated with using immunization information systems for Vaccines for Children administrative tasks - PubMed (nih.gov)]

For more information on how Gainwell is helping states better manage, access and use immunization data to increase physician adoption, raise overall immunization rates and improve health outcomes, download our Immunization Info Sheet.