Shortages confound vaccination logistics

The hassle factor is high as physicians help patients play catch-up when vaccines, long on back order, arrive at their offices.

By Susan J. Landers, AMNews staff. May 13, 2002.

Washington -- Physicians are vaulting additional hurdles as they try to meet the goal of immunizing patients while contending with widespread vaccine shortages.

They must flag patients' charts, keep careful records and try to get patients to return for missed shots when vaccine becomes available.

Many find this to be a time-consuming and frustrating -- although vital -- task.

"It is complicated and difficult," said Julia McMillan, MD, professor of pediatrics at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. "Depending on the size of the practice, the resources of the practice and the computer-based record availability of the practice, the process can vary from simply telling a parent that they need to come back, and hoping that they do, to a very sophisticated sending out of postcards or making calls when vaccine becomes available."

"Clearly a lot of practitioners are having difficulties," said Keith Powell, MD, chair of the pediatrics department at Children's Hospital Center in Akron, Ohio. "And there are probably as many solutions as there are practices," he added.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention realizes that recalling patients is a big problem for physicians. "We know that very few physicians actually have a tracking system where they could easily do recalls," said Abigail Shefer, MD, a branch chief at the CDC's National Immunization Program.

A CDC survey of immunization program managers in every state found that 75% have sent memos, educational materials and tracking forms to help physicians recall patients. "But what we don't know is how well they are being used by physicians," Dr. Shefer said. [...]