Boston Launches Trial of Registry To Track Flu Vaccinations

Friday, November 21, 2008
Boston Launches Trial of Registry To Track Flu Vaccinations
On Friday, Boston launched a trial of a new flu vaccination registry, the Boston Globe reports.

The registry is designed to improve flu intervention efforts. Boston is believed to be the first city to embrace this approach to tracking flu vaccinations.

Trial Details

Under the trial, patients who receive flu shots will receive an ID bracelet with a bar code. Then, basic information, such as the patient's name and age, will be entered into the patient tracking database.

In addition, electronic health records will keep track of who administered the vaccine, the site of the injection and the time of day it was given.

The trial does not require any additional spending by the city.

Future

Eventually, city health officials say they want to create a citywide registry to track residents' flu vaccinations. The network would allow public and private flu shot providers to add data to the registry.

Officials say such a system could help identify areas with low rates of vaccination and improve the flu vaccination process as a whole (Smith, Boston Globe, 11/21).

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