Posted By Denton Dickerson On July 24, 2023
EHRs Can Improve Efficiency of High Volume Immunizations
When the FDA approved the COVID-19 vaccine in late 2020, public health clinics suddenly had a high volume of immunizations to distribute. The staggering number of vaccinations overwhelmed the clinics that didn’t have an efficient way of tracking and documenting their vaccinations.
Ask yourself a couple of questions: Is your health department ready for another mass vaccination event? Is your electronic health record (EHR) system equipped to handle high volume immunizations? In this blog, we cover how EHRs can improve your immunizations workflow efficiency. Let’s dive in.
Why Do You Need an EHR
Public health departments, community health centers, and Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) offer important immunization services. Managing immunizations and inventory is often complex. An electronic health record (EHR) software with efficient workflows and inventory management capabilities can help solve this problem.
Public health clinics require an Electronic Health Records system with tools to simplify data entry and make high-volume immunization easier. Note that not all EHRs are the same. When selecting an EHR, be sure to ask the right questions. Selecting the right EHR can improve your practice.
A great EHR for high volume immunizations should include:
- A fast patient registration system that allows for both family registration and patient immunization entry.
- A system that streamlines data entry for busy staff and nurses by eliminating the need for dual data entry.
- An easy-to-use platform for supervisors and managers to track immunization inventory.
- A user-friendly mobile application for off-site clinics
Choosing the Right EHR for High Volume Immunizations
After deciding to use an EHR, research is necessary to find the best fit for your practice. Some EHR companies design their systems to work for a wide range of medical facilities, while others tailor their systems to specific niches.
An EHR designed specifically for public health would have the functionality to administer and track high volume immunizations, which are critical for public health and safety. We understand that administering and tracking high volume immunizations is critical for public health and safety. A mass vaccination feature would enable your health department to offer self-registration and self-scheduling features to patients. Your staff could then review patient-provided information, update demographics, link the corresponding charts, and administer vaccines quickly.
Robust EHRs for high volume immunizations allow you to:
- Scan barcodes to build inventory and facilitate easy vaccine dispensing
- Sync with state immunization records
- Decrease data entry time for nurses
- Keep track of vaccine inventory by various parameters including clinic sites and funding sources (e.g. VFC, 317, or private).
For more information about selecting the best EHR system for your clinic, read our blogs, “EHR Selection and Implementation Success: Common Q & As” and “How to Evaluate EHR Solutions“.
The Benefits of Using EHRs for High Volume Immunizations
Every EHR will claim that it streamlines your practice’s workflow, but let’s break down how that’s possible. Barcode scanning can replace time-intensive and error-prone manual entry, improve data accuracy, reinforce patient care, and enhance the vaccine documentation process. An EHR with a feature like our mass vaccination app reduces data entry and provides convenient web access for off-site clinics. Synchronizing your EHR with your state’s immunization registry means less time spent searching for forms and more time serving your community.
EHRs are an essential tool for improving the efficiency of high volume immunizations and mass vaccination events. With the right EHR, high volume immunization is so much easier for your practice.
Updated July 2023
Original author credit: Monique Denver, July 26, 2016
About Patagonia Health, Inc.
Patagonia Health’s integrated EHR, Practice Management, and Billing solutions are designed to improve departmental workflows using apps and cloud-based technology. Our company was founded with a focus on providing technology solutions with highly referenceable customer service. We collaborate with public and behavioral health organizations to develop advanced features, empowering them to improve the well-being of their communities. Our federally-certified software enables our customers to achieve their desired health outcomes. We serve those who serve others. If you’d like more information about our solutions, contact us today.