By Atlantic Health Partners
While the COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruption across the health care industry, primary care practices have faced challenges that impact all aspects of patient care, from diagnosing new conditions to vaccine administration. These changes require handoffs and continuity of care to ensure that patients’ care plans, especially preventative care such as immunizations, are maintained.
Even with disruptions, maintaining preventative health is a key way practices can protect their patient populations, particularly as we enter flu season during the pandemic.
Preserving best practices
Working through organizational change or disruption is rarely seamless, but through thoughtful planning, preparation and communication, physicians can ensure their vaccine and other preventative care programs can adapt with change and continuously provide patients with the quality care they need.
Assess, adjust workflows
Changes, whether welcoming a new team member or merging two businesses, can interrupt workflows. Assess what electronic health record (EHR) and practice management systems are in place and if any need to be merged. This is a critical first step to ensuring that everyday functions are not disrupted and important patient information, including vaccine records, is not lost.
Use ongoing education
As businesses go through change or transition, risks often occur that cause policies and best practices to be relaxed or forgotten. Regular training will help new staff catch up quickly and more experienced staff stay current on protocols, including vaccine administration guidelines, storage requirements and other immunization best practices.
Review new patients
When practices close or merge, independent practices may find themselves welcoming new patients. It’s important to have processes in place to help staff quickly familiarize themselves with these new patients and their needs. This process should include a review of their vaccine records, flagging any outstanding immunizations and developing a plan with the patient to catch up.
Consolidate history
Keeping vaccine records up to date is key to a patient’s lifelong immunity and health, but when welcoming new patients, duplicate records may require consolidation. When this happens, the American Immunization Registry Association recommends selecting the best values for each data element to form a new or consolidated record.
A strong vaccine program is essential to the well-being of any patient population. Physicians can further enhance their program by upholding best practices during times of disruption to help keep patients on their recommended vaccine and preventative care schedules. Especially as we continue to weather COVID-19, physicians can prioritize best practices to help shield their patients and their organizations from disruption in care to maintain positive outcomes.
Atlantic Health Partners is ISMA’s preferred vendor for members’ immunization efforts. ISMA members may contact Jeff or Cindy at 800-741-2044 or info@atlantichealthpartners.com to discuss their immunization program.