Improving Vaccination Documentation Rates Among Patients With Breast Cancer Through Patient Outreach.

BACKGROUND: Patients with cancer are at high risk for infection-related morbidity and mortality; vaccinations reduce this burden. In 2021, vaccination documentation rates were low at an academic medical center breast clinic. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this pilot quality improvement project was to evaluate an education intervention to increase vaccination documentation among patients with breast cancer. METHODS: During a 16-week period, the 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program was implemented. The oncology nurse navigator assessed and documented vaccination history, discussed recommendations with the provider, and recommended concurrent vaccinations. Within a two-week period, the oncology nurse navigator completed and documented vaccination follow-up via telephone. FINDINGS: Vaccination follow-up and documentation for influenza, shingles, and pneumococcal vaccines increased substantially. Findings indicate that an education and outreach program can increase vaccination documentation rates among patients with breast cancer.

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in patients receiving depot neuroleptics or clozapine.

This retrospective study compared the prevalence of diabetes mellitus/hyperglycemia between patients receiving treatment with clozapine (n = 24) and patients receiving treatment with depot (n = 27) neuroleptics in a Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient mental health clinic in the Mid-Atlantic region. Of the clozapine cases without a history of diabetes/hyperglycemia, 27.7% developed diabetes after initiation of clozapine. There were no new cases of diabetes/hyperglycemia in the depot group after initiation of depot neuroleptic. All patients receiving neuroleptic treatment should be monitored for changes in weight, lipid, and glucose levels so that appropriate preventive and therapeutic measures can be promptly initiated.