Implementation of OnLine VAERS Reporting from State Immunization Registries A Project funded in part

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Implementation of On-Line VAERS Reporting from
State Immunization RegistriesA Project funded in
part by the RWJ Center for Innovation in
Health Information Systems
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Agenda

• Background and rationale
• Methods (why not HL7?)
• Issues
• Demonstration
• Discussion

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Background

• STC currently has 6 web-based, statewide
  immunization registries which collectively have
• 4.5 million patient records
• 33 million shot records
• 1800 sites reporting
• 1200 private provider sites
• 600 public sector sites
• All STC systems could note that an adverse event
  occurred, but none reported it to VAERS
• STC approached CDC in Nov 2001 to discuss on-line
  automation of VAERS reporting

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Current Status of VAERS Reporting

• Significant underreporting suspected
• Primarily paper-based (on-line reporting now
  available)
• Managed by Analytical Sciences, Inc (ASI) under
  contract to CDC and FDA
• No link to immunization registries

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STC VAERS Objectives

• Drive providers to immunization registries by
  continuing to offer one-stop reporting
• Eliminate duplicate data entrycapture as much
  data as available from registry
• Allow on-line entry for any data not collected by
  the registry by needed by VAERS
• Expedite complete data delivery to VAERS in a
  format they could currently use
• Create a standard-based method that could be used
  by other registries or patient management systems

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Issues

• Format for HL7 VAERS Message issued 4/2002
• ASI (VAERS) could not accept HL7 formatted
  message
• VAERS needs medical history data not maintained
  by registries
• Registry core data elements account for only
  about 40-50 of data needed for a VAERS report
• VAERS uses FDA vaccine codes
• Not compliant with the CMX and MVX code sets
• Not a 11 match between code sets
• Conversion is necessary

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Methods

• Adobe Acrobat Toolkitfree shareware
• PDF form created
• FDF (Java) pulls information from registry client
  and loads it to PDF form
• Populates form and convert codes
• Dynamic PDF form is presented for on-line entry
  of remaining data by physician or other reporter
• API created--can be used by other systems
• 5 to 30 hrs. programming time for configuration

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Process

• Web-based system sends data directly to VAERS
• VAERS returns a submission number to the
  registry that is stored with the patient record
• Data entered into VAERS database for
  investigation
• Registry does not store complete VAERS report,
  only that a report was submitted and the
  submission number

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Advantages

• Gives important new functionality for providers
  to use immunization registry
• Makes VAERS reporting easier and may increase
  reporting
• Minimizes data entry
• Sends data in format that VAERS can use now
• Will be implemented in at least one state
  immunization registry by Dec 2002

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For Further Information
Terry Hughes 602.241.1502 terry_hughes_at_stchome.com
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Provider Retrieves Childs History
Clicking on specific shot brings up background
data
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The Record is Edited to Note the Adverse Event
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Adverse Event Selected from Pull Down List
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Event Recorded, Report to VAERS Option
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The VAERS pdf Form is Populated and allows
on-line entry of more data