Identifying vaccination rates of adult patients in ambulatory care clinics

BACKGROUND: While pharmacists have provided vaccinations to patients in the community pharmacy setting, pharmacist involvement within the medical office setting is not well documented in the literature. The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists reports that ambulatory care pharmacists are screening for and administering vaccinations at a declining rate, despite standards of practice. Vaccination rates for adults 19–64 years of age remain low, based on Healthy People 2020 goals, putting them at risk for vaccine-preventable diseases. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to assess vaccination rates of ambulatory care pharmacy clinic patients aged 19–64 years and to compare the rates between three clinics and to Healthy People 2020 goals. METHODS: This was a baseline retrospective analysis of vaccination rates for patients aged 19–64 years who attended at least one pharmacy clinic visit at one of the three medical office practices. Age, sex, medical conditions, cigarette or alcohol use, immunosuppressive medications, and vaccines recommended and received were recorded. Vaccination status was assessed according to the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices recommendations. Data were collected from January 2016 to March 2017. The percentage of eligible patients who received each vaccine was determined overall and for each clinic. RESULTS: There were 240 patients who met the inclusion criteria, with a mean age of 52.8 years. The percentage of patients with vaccination documented in the medical record was 25% for pneumococcal conjugate, 35.7% for pneumococcal polysaccharide, 26.9% for zoster vaccine live, 6.4% for hepatitis B, and 50.6% for tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis. Vaccination rates for pneumococcal conjugate, pneumococcal polysaccharide, and zoster vaccine live were below established Healthy People 2020 goals. CONCLUSION: Vaccination rates remain low in adults 19–64 years of age. Ambulatory care pharmacists should consider assessing vaccination status during clinic visits as a component of comprehensive vaccination programs.