With two months left in the year, there’s still time to close any remaining immunization gaps for children under two. To meet the quality measure for Childhood Immunization Status (CIS), all required immunizations must be completed by a child’s second birthday. IMPORTANT: If one immunization is missed, the entire measure is seen as noncompliant.

Children by their second birthday should have received the following immunizations in the correct dosage:

Vaccination	Doses
Diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis (DTaP)	4
Polio (IPV)	3
Measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR)	1
Haemophilus influenza type B (HiB)	3
Hepatitis B (HepB)	3
Chicken pox (VZV)	1
Pneumococcal conjugate (PCV)	4
Hepatitis A (HepA)	1
Rotavirus (RV)	2 – 3
Influenza (flu)	2

 

Staying on Track

During the pandemic, preventive health appointments for infants and children may have been missed. As we return to a regular cadence for wellness appointments, it’s important that children get back on track and stay on track for scheduled immunizations, which helps prevent serious illness.

Maintaining Updated Patient Records

Proper record-keeping is critical for accurately capturing patients’ immunization history. Providers are required by law to record certain information in a patient’s medical record, which can be in electronic or paper form.

For immunization history, the following information should be included in the patient record:

• Date of administration
• Vaccine manufacturer
• Vaccine lot number
• Name and title of the person who administered the vaccine and address of the facility where the permanent record will reside.
• Vaccine information statement (VIS)
  • Date printed on the VIS.
  • Date the VIS was given to the patient or parent/guardian.

Immunization Information Systems

Immunization Information Systems (IISs) are confidential, computerized databases that record and consolidate information on all vaccine doses administered by participating providers.

Using an IIS to document vaccines administered can help keep patient vaccination records up to date. Another advantage is that the IIS gives all medical providers in a practice access to complete and accurate information about the patient’s immunization history.

Additional Resources

The Provider Resource Center (PRC) has the following educational materials available for download:

• Childhood Immunization Brochure & Schedule
• Childhood Immunization Flyer

To access them, go to the PRC, select EDUCATION/MANUALS from the left menu and then click Educational Resources – Member And Provider.

Highmark does not recommend particular treatments or health care services. This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should determine the appropriate treatment and follow-up with your patient. Coverage of services is subject to the terms of each member’s benefit plan. Additionally, state laws and regulations governing health insurance, health plans and coverage may apply and will vary from state to state.