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Immunizations are an important service offering of Public Health Departments and Community Health Centers, including FQHCs.  The flu vaccine for this season alone, for example, will be somewhere between 171 and 179 million doses for the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  This makes the administration of immunizations and inventory management a multi-level problem, loaded with complications for many public health departments and FQHCs. To make this process more efficient, these agencies are looking for an Electronic Health Records (EHR) software with the following attributes:

• Fast patient registration and data entry (including family registration, patient immunization entry)
• A system which cuts down data entry for busy staff and nurses (no dual data entry)
• To make it easy for supervisors and managers to automatically and easily track immunization inventory

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) system are data driven, and having an EHR with an optimal immunization workflow can help clinics.  While not all EHRs are equipped with good immunization capability, thus it is important to select an appropriate EHR system.  Integrated immunization processing can automate much of the process for you, saving time and effort.

• Efficient and quick patient intake process – including quick family registration
• Quick, easy entry of patient-provided immunization records (e.g. from school, physicians or foreign countries)
• Decrease data entry time for nurses
• Easy web access for off-site clinics
• Immunization inventory management software to keep track of vaccine inventory, even tracked by funding source (e.g. VFC, 317 or private) and clinic sites.
• Bar code scanning software for easy dispensing and eliminating task of reading small print on vaccines.
• Barcode scanning feature for building inventory
• Connect to state immunization registry to sync with state immunization records.

In addition, having a mobile app for off-site clinics is also a plus!  If your EHR does not include the immunization capabilities, perhaps it is time to re-evaluate.  The time and money it can save the agency is worth the review.  For more information about selecting a good EHR system read also The 6 must-haves for an easy to use EHR for Local Health Departments, 7+1 bonus steps for EHR selection for local health departments, and  Sure, price is important when buying an EHR.