# Improving Immunization Information System Implementation in Community Pharmacies

> **NIH NIH R21** · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT COLUMBIA · 2022 · $196,354

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Strong health care provider recommendations are the single most influential factor in patient acceptance of
vaccination. However, as the number of providers administering vaccines increases, there is a concern of
fragmented immunization records in state Immunization Information Systems (IISs), a serious issue at both the
provider and state levels. Complete immunization records provided through IISs are necessary at both the point
of clinical care, to determine appropriate vaccinations the patient may need and ensure that individuals are not
over or under-vaccinated, as well as the population level, to monitor vaccination rates and facilitate outbreak
response efforts and recalls. To effectively use IISs, it is critical that each immunization provider administering
vaccines 1) assesses immunization status using the IIS and 2) reports each time a vaccine is administered to a
patient in the IIS. Previous research has shown significant increases in vaccination rates when IIS is used by
immunization providers. Lack of pharmacy participation in IISs has been identified as a serious concern, with
only 35% of pharmacists nationwide entering administered vaccination information into an IIS, and even fewer
checking the IIS before administering a vaccine. This is important for routine vaccinations and becomes critical
in pandemic response efforts, including distribution of COVID-19 vaccines as well as catch up vaccinations that
were unable to be administered during the pandemic. Multi-faceted strategies mapped to identified determinants
are needed to incorporate IIS into pharmacy workflow including assessing immunization status, recommending
needed vaccines, and documenting administered vaccines. The objective of this study is to use an
Implementation Mapping framework to identify determinants of and refine strategies to improve IIS
implementation in the community pharmacy setting, which will then be evaluated using the Taxonomy of
Implementation Outcomes. This will help to achieve the long-term goal, to improve the use of IISs to assess
immunization status and recommend vaccines in the rural community pharmacy setting, thereby improving
vaccination coverage, response efforts, and making the provision of immunizations safe and efficient. The
specific aims are to 1) identify community pharmacy specific determinants to integration of IIS reporting
and assessment into pharmacy workflow, 2) tailor IIS Informed Pharmacy Immunization Process
implementation strategies using a human-centered design approach, and 3) evaluate selected
implementation strategies in a community pharmacy setting. The proposed study will use an explanatory
sequential mixed-methods research design to identify and refine pharmacy-specific implementation
strategies to improve integration of IISs. Results from this study will serve as the foundation for a large stepped
wedge cluster randomized trial among pharmacies in rural South Carolina and other southeastern states,
assess...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10453032
- **Project number:** 1R21AI159590-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT COLUMBIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Tessa J. Hastings
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $196,354
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-05-10 → 2024-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10453032

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10453032, Improving Immunization Information System Implementation in Community Pharmacies (1R21AI159590-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10453032. Licensed CC0.

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