Coalitions Conference Call

Adult Vaccination

 
Please see the accompanying slide deck for more detail on all these points.
 
Dr. Tan provided a summary of the 2013 National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit that was held May 14–16, in Atlanta. This conference was a combined meeting of the National Influenza Vaccine Summit (NIVS) and the National Adult Immunization Summit (NAIS).
 
NIVS is a partnership of more than 140 organizations, both public and private, involved in influenza vaccine research, production, distribution, administration, and advocacy. The Summit was formed in 2000 in response to problems with influenza vaccine supply, and is committed to achieving the Healthy People 2020 goals for influenza vaccination.
 
NAIS was formed last year to build upon the strategies and successes of NIVS. It is co-led by the American Medical Association, CDC, and the National Vaccine Program Office (NVPO).
 
A natural course for both of these Summits is to evolve into one single entity dealing with all adult vaccines. A complete merger has not yet happened, as some issues need to be resolved, especially regarding influenza vaccination (as it is recommended for everyone age 6 months and older, not just adults). But for the first time, the two groups’ annual meetings were combined in May as the National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS). This meeting was organized by IAC, CDC, and NVPO, with support from the Summit Organizing Committee and the Summit Advisory Group.
 
Dr. Tan encouraged everyone to access the presentations from this conference.
 
The Summit’s work is done primarily through its five working groups:

• Patient Education
  Provider
• Outreach
• Policy and Decision Makers
• Quality and Measures
• Access and Collaboration

For more information on the results from the efforts of these working groups in the past year, and a summary of the influenza sessions at the meeting, please view Dr. Tan’s slide deck.
 
Dr. Tan wanted to make sure that coalitions knew about a new resource, the Adult Vaccination Resources Library, a searchable online library of adult vaccination resources supported by the Patient Education working group and developed by IAC. You are encouraged to explore this new resource by using the link provided. Please send feedback to Laurel Wood, MPA, IAC’s coordinator for public health, who was the person in charge of this effort.
 
Dr. Tan also encouraged people to contact him with feedback on the meeting, questions on this presentation, or to inquire about joining a Summit working group.
 
Email Dr. Litjen (L.J) Tan.
 
 

 
Please see the accompanying slide deck for more detail on all these points.
 
Joan started by reinforcing Dr. Tan’s invitation to join a Summit working group by saying her experience with the group has been engaging and refreshing.
The Adult Immunization Coalition of Central Ohio started in 2001, initially to focus on influenza vaccination. Its goals are public and private provider education and provision of vaccine when fiscally possible. The coalition has a website and an 800 number. It operates in counties surrounding Columbus, Ohio–primarily Franklin and Delaware counties. Joan’s presentation focused on how this small coalition has successfully provided influenza vaccine to low-income adults for many years.
 
The coalition initially got influenza vaccine for low-income adults with no insurance from the state health department. They augmented this vaccine supply with a $5,000 grant from the local Osteopathic Heritage Foundation. Any provider who was an active member of the coalition could request this vaccine for their clients–"active" meaning they had to come to a meeting or do something with a coalition committee during the year (the coalition has 80 members; about 25-30 would be considered active at any time). The only requirement was that the provider collects basic demographic information on the recipients–age, sex, and race. During this time, the coalition members gave 3,500-4,000 influenza doses per season to eligible clients.
 
No money has been available from the state for the last two years. However, because of the interest from a local politician, the Franklin County commissioners now fund vaccine purchase and PR efforts ($81,000/season). During the 2012-13 influenza season, 3,000 doses were given by seven provider members. The current grant restricts the vaccine distribution to Franklin County.
 
The coalition was less successful with attempts to find funding to buy Tdap and PPSV vaccine for low-income uninsured adults.
 
The coalition has reserved 3,500 doses of quadrivalent influenza vaccine for the 2013-14 season. They also have ~$36,000 in funding for PR and provider education. This will include sending 400 educational packets to primary care physicians and a survey of physicians on their vaccination practices. The coalition is currently seeking grant money to cover purchasing copies of the Immunization Techniques: Best Practices with Infants, Children, and Adults DVD, developed by the California Department of Health Services Immunization Branch, to reward providers who take the survey.
 
Dr. Sharon Humiston asked Joan how a local coalition could be so successful in finding available grant money. Joan answered that 1) the coalition had a grant committee that worked on finding possible sources of money and applying for such, and 2) because the target patient population is limited to low-income adults with no insurance, they weren’t stepping on anyone’s toes. Joan encouraged coalitions to just try–it often only takes a phone call or letter to get a funder interested.
 
Email Joan Bowe or call (740) 203-2032.
 
 

 
Trish Parnell reported on the progress of the committee working on a universal symbol for vaccination. This idea generated a lot of excitement on the coalition listserv, so Trish volunteered to pull together a committee and collect donations to make this idea a reality.
 
Committee members:

• Trish Parnell, PKIDs (Washington)
• Lynn Bozof, National Meningitis Association (Georgia)
• L.J Tan, IAC (Minnesota)
• Anna Dragsbaek, The Immunization Partnership (Texas)
• Greg Macklin, VOCES (Puerto Rico)
• John Keegan, Florida Department of Health (Florida)

The committee divided up work on a May 9 call. They looked at various graphic designers’ work online and sent a description of work to three companies. Bids came in on Monday and the group chose Tracy Greene, an artist with a special interest in the project because she had a relative die of meningitis. She is going to create several rough drafts that the committee will narrow down to three top choices. The committee will then set up a voting process to choose the winner.
 
John Keegan added that he investigated copyright issues (e.g., real and intellectual property) and has tentatively decided that nothing special needs to be done to ensure the copyright of the symbol because the moment the symbol is created, it has a copyright. Something to consider for the future: if we had to go to court to enforce the copyright, there are extra steps that we need to take before that happens. But, since it’ll be available to everyone without restriction, not sure if that’s the way to go.
 
Lynn Bozof added that she was really excited about getting a symbol that would unite everyone working in immunizations and promote vaccination to the public.
 
Joan Bowe suggested that to get buy-in that the voting should be as wide as possible. Trish said, "Absolutely!" and said that the idea was to involve representatives of coalitions, nonprofits, CDC, professional societies, etc.
 
Email Trish Parnell.