Physician’s Computer Company in the news: “PCC, a pediatric electronic health records company, gathered vaccine information from 1,000 independent pediatricians nationwide. Using the week of February 16 as a pre-coronavirus baseline, PCC found that during the week of April 5, the administration of measles, mumps and rubella shots dropped by 50 percent; diphtheria and whooping cough shots by 42 percent; and HPV vaccines by 73 percent.”
This is what I have been afraid of.
Technically, 50% of our kids are now “anti-vaxxers” not based on an anti-science agenda but based on fear of contracting COVID19.
50%!!!
What strategies are you using in your practice to get your kids vaccinated? Please share
We are recalling all of our patients who are overdue for immunizations and WCC. We run the Report through PCC and if they are overdue for HPV or MMR etc, we get them in ASAP. Many parents have been willing to come in once they find out that their children are “behind” in shots, but some are still hesitant to come in for the appointments.
We are seeing WCC only in the morning, limiting patients to one caregiver per visit, and bringing anyone with a sniffle in a separate entrance having split our office into two zones to further separate well/sick. Generally speaking, our families are thankful for the opportunity to keep their visit. For those uncertain, most are comforted when we explain the measures we have taken to keep them safe and healthy.
We have two office locations, so have been able to split our offices into a Well Office and a Sick Office. We are recalling under 2, the 4 and 11 year olds, and then allowing anyone who wants a Well Visit to schedule one on the grounds that if they want to come in there is probably a reason they want to be seen and we don’t want to turn them away.
We screen for sick symptoms and sick contacts (even a runny nose we think we can attribute to teething is disqualifying); the door is locked and we verbally screen again at the door, take temperatures, everyone wears a mask (except young patients too young to wear a mask).
We are in Michigan which has been hit hard; we have just started to see an uptick in Well Visit volume, but still we are seeing half of the typical volume right now.
@drunachukwu thanks for sharing this piece of vital information. This is the reason why we are still working despite COVID-19: to prevent a hydra-headed epidemic after we reopen the country.
We have been proactive in recalling patients. We did not see the reason to be selective. We are recalling everyone who needs a wellness visit as we figured if we are selective, we may miss some and that would be a dis-service to them. Also, because telemedicine is now paid for, we are seeing concern visits via Telemedicine while we see well checks and immunization visits in the office. We have reduced to 2 days of in person clinic while the remaining days are Telemedicine which is also streamlined for effectiveness and efficiency. With those adjustments and with recall we are getting closer to within 80% of previous volume with only 3 days of scheduled visits and 2 days of “sprinklings of Telemed”.
This is concerning on so many levels. Right now simply financing vaccines will be a major challenge for offices. So the attached information regarding further extension or Pfizer payment terms from Dr. Berman is welcome news. I appreciate that the National AAP is supporting the conversations we’ve been having with the vaccine manufacturers for relief during this time.
