Development of integration indexes to determine the extent of family planning and child immunization services integration in health facilities in urban areas of Nigeria.

BACKGROUND: Integrating family planning into child immunization services may address unmet need for contraception by offering family planning information and services to postpartum women during routine child immunization visits. However, policies and programs promoting integration are often based on insubstantial or conflicting evidence about its effects on service delivery and health outcomes. While integration models vary, many studies measure integration as binary (a facility is integrated or not) rather than a multidimensional and varying continuum. It is thus challenging to ascertain the determinants and effects of integrated service delivery. This study creates Facility and Provider Integration Indexes, which measure capacity to support integrated family planning and child immunization services and applies them to analyze the extent of integration across 400 health facilities. METHODS: This study utilizes cross-sectional health facility (N = 400; 58% hospitals, 42% primary healthcare centers) and healthcare provider (N = 1479) survey data that were collected in six urban areas of Nigeria for the impact evaluation of the Nigerian Urban Reproductive Health Initiative. Principal Component Analysis was used to develop Provider and Facility Integration Indexes that estimate the extent of integration in these health facilities. The Provider Integration Index measures provider skills and practices that support integrated service delivery while the Facility Integration Index measures facility norms that support integrated service delivery. Index scores range from zero (low) to ten (high). RESULTS: Mean Provider Integration Index score is 5.42 (SD 3.10), and mean Facility Integration Index score is 6.22 (SD 2.72). Twenty-three percent of facilities were classified as having low Provider Integration scores, 32% as medium, and 45% as high. Fourteen percent of facilities were classified as having low Facility Integration scores, 38% as medium, and 48% as high. CONCLUSION: Many facilities in our sample have achieved high levels of integration, while many others have not. Results suggest that using more nuanced measures of integration may (a) more accurately reflect true variation in integration within and across health facilities, (b) enable more precise measurement of the determinants or effects of integration, and (c) provide more tailored, actionable information about how best to improve integration. Overall, results reinforce the importance of utilizing more nuanced measures of facility-level integration.

The experiences of using polio outbreak simulation exercises to strengthen national outbreaks preparedness and response plans in sub-Saharan Africa.

INTRODUCTION: globally, by 2020 the paralytic poliomyelitis disease burden decreased to over 99% of the reported cases in 1988 when resolution 41.8 was endorsed by the World Health Assembly (WHA) for global polio eradication. It is clearly understood that, if there is Wild Poliovirus (WPV) and circulating Vaccines Derived Poliovirus (cVDPV) in the world, no country is safe from polio outbreaks. All countries remain at high risk of re-importation depending on the level of the containment of the types vaccine withdrawn, the laboratory poliovirus isolates, and the population immunity induced by the vaccination program. In this regard, countries to have polio outbreak preparedness and response plans, and conducting the polio outbreak simulation exercises for these plans remain important. METHODS: we conducted a cross-section qualitative study to review to 8 countries conducted polio outbreak simulation exercises in the East and Southern Africa from 2016 to 2018. The findings were categorized into 5 outbreak response thematic areas analyzed qualitatively and summarized them on their strengths and weaknesses. RESULTS: we found out that, most countries have the overall technical capacities and expertise to deal with outbreaks to a certain extent. Nevertheless, we noted that the national polio outbreak preparedness and response plans were not comprehensive enough to provide proper guidance in responding to outbreaks. The guidelines were inadequately aligned with the WHO POSOPs, and IHR 2005. Additionally, most participants who participated in the simulation exercises were less familiar with their preparedness and response plans, the WHO POSOPs, and therefore reported to be sensitized. CONCLUSION: we also realized that, in all countries where the polio simulation exercise conducted, their national polio outbreak preparedness and response plan was revised to be improved in line with the WHO POSOPs and IHR 2005. we, therefore, recommend the polio outbreak simulation exercises to be done in every country with an interval of 3-5 years.

Active surveillance of acute paediatric hospitalisations demonstrates the impact of vaccination programmes and informs vaccine policy in Canada and Australia.

Sentinel surveillance of acute hospitalisations in response to infectious disease emergencies such as the 2009 influenza A(H1N1)pdm09 pandemic is well described, but recognition of its potential to supplement routine public health surveillance and provide scalability for emergency responses has been limited. We summarise the achievements of two national paediatric hospital surveillance networks relevant to vaccine programmes and emerging infectious diseases in Canada (Canadian Immunization Monitoring Program Active; IMPACT from 1991) and Australia (Paediatric Active Enhanced Disease Surveillance; PAEDS from 2007) and discuss opportunities and challenges in applying their model to other contexts. Both networks were established to enhance capacity to measure vaccine preventable disease burden, vaccine programme impact, and safety, with their scope occasionally being increased with emerging infectious diseases' surveillance. Their active surveillance has increased data accuracy and utility for syndromic conditions (e.g. encephalitis), pathogen-specific diseases (e.g. pertussis, rotavirus, influenza), and adverse events following immunisation (e.g. febrile seizure), enabled correlation of biological specimens with clinical context and supported responses to emerging infections (e.g. pandemic influenza, parechovirus, COVID-19). The demonstrated long-term value of continuous, rather than incident-related, operation of these networks in strengthening routine surveillance, bridging research gaps, and providing scalable public health response, supports their applicability to other countries.

Vaccination as a scheduled demand: a day in the life of users.

OBJECTIVES: to understand vaccination as a scheduled demand and access to this demand in a day in the life of health services, from the perspective of users. METHODS: holistic-qualitative multiple case study, based on the Quotidian Comprehensive Sociology, with 74 users from four health microregions of the Extended Western Region of Minas Gerais State. RESULTS: scheduling vaccination demand in a day in the life of services is compromised by the fragility in data record, by computerized systems underutilization and by the loss of the immunization tracking card, resulting in missed opportunities of immunization and unnecessary revaccinations. The Primary Health Care team's non-involvement also compromised access to this action. Final Considerations: there is a need for more effort to be dispensed with for the effective use of computerized systems and Permanent Education of professionals in order to take advantage of all the opportunities of orientations and referrals of users to the vaccination room.

What isn't measured isn't done - eight years with no progress in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander adult influenza and pneumococcal vaccination.

OBJECTIVES: To describe and compare vaccination coverage for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (hereafter referred to as Indigenous) adults in 2004-05 and 2012-13, including the impact of national vaccination funding initiatives. METHODS: National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health cross-sectional surveys - 2004-05 (n=5,757) and 2012-13 (n=5,482) - were compared. Self-reported influenza and pneumococcal vaccination coverage among Indigenous adults was analysed by age, remoteness, gender and risk factor status. RESULTS: Influenza vaccination coverage among Indigenous adults in 2004-05 and 2012-13 remained low. While coverage increased for those aged 18-49 years from 23% to 29%, it declined for those aged ≥65 years from 84% to 74%. For remote areas, influenza coverage among those aged 50-64 years declined from 76% to 66%. Pneumococcal vaccination coverage remained very low and declined across all age groups in 2004-05 and 2012-13 (50-64 years: 30% to 23%). For remote areas, pneumococcal coverage declined among those aged 50-64 years from 52% to 32%. CONCLUSIONS: Indigenous adult vaccination coverage for influenza and pneumococcal disease remains unacceptably low. Between 2004-05 and 2012-13, declines occurred in pneumococcal vaccination coverage across all age groups ≥18 years. Despite national funding of influenza vaccine in 2010, there was no increase in influenza coverage, except for the 18-49-year age group. Implications for public health: Current approaches to promote, deliver and monitor vaccination of Indigenous adults are inadequate.

Evaluation study of the National Immunization Program Information System.

OBJECTIVE: To carry out the National Immunization Program Information System (SIPNI) accessability assessment (EA), considering the description of the intervention, the elaboration of the theoretical-logical model and the identification of the evaluative questions. METHOD: A single case study with a qualitative approach, based on the system of seven elements proposed by Thurston and Ramaliu (2005). The SIPNI and the context of analysis, the vaccination rooms, were defined as the case. RESULTS: The SIPNI description, based on documents and scientific evidence, made it possible to understand its operationalization, the main events that characterize it. The theoretical-logical model visually and systematically configured the SIPNI organization with details of the inputs, activities, products and expected effects. The evaluative questions were evaluated and validated to evaluate the SIPNI. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: The SIPNI is evaluable and presented a favorable scenario for its development. EA is an important strategy for planning subsequent evaluations, maximizing their potentials.

Evaluation study of the National Immunization Program Information System / Estudio de evaluación del Sistema de Información del Programa Nacional de Inmunización / Estudo de avaliabilidade do Sistema de Informação do Programa Nacional de Imunização

ABSTRACT Objective: To carry out the National Immunization Program Information System (SIPNI) accessability assessment (EA), considering the description of the intervention, the elaboration of the theoretical-logical model and the identification of the evaluative questions. Method: A single case study with a qualitative approach, based on the system of seven elements proposed by Thurston and Ramaliu (2005). The SIPNI and the context of analysis, the vaccination rooms, were defined as the case. Results: The SIPNI description, based on documents and scientific evidence, made it possible to understand its operationalization, the main events that characterize it. The theoretical-logical model visually and systematically configured the SIPNI organization with details of the inputs, activities, products and expected effects. The evaluative questions were evaluated and validated to evaluate the SIPNI. Final considerations: The SIPNI is evaluable and presented a favorable scenario for its development. EA is an important strategy for planning subsequent evaluations, maximizing their potentials.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Realizar Estudio de Evaluación (EA) del Sistema de Información del Programa Nacional de Inmunización (SIPNI), considerando la descripción de la intervención, la elaboración del modelo teórico-lógico y la identificación de las preguntas evaluativas. Método: Estudio de caso único, con enfoque cualitativo, basado en el sistema de los siete elementos propuestos por Thurston y Ramaliu (2005). Se definió como caso el SIPNI y el contexto de análisis, las salas de vacunación. Resultados: La descripción del SIPNI, fundamentada en documentos y evidencias científicas, posibilitó comprender su operacionalización, los principales acontecimientos que lo caracterizan. El modelo teórico-lógico configuró de forma visual y sistemática la organización del SIPNI con detalle de los insumos, actividades, productos y efectos esperados. Se establecieron y validaron las preguntas de evaluación para evaluar el SIPNI. Consideraciones finales: El SIPNI es evaluable y presenta un escenario favorable para su desarrollo. El EA es una estrategia importante para la planificación de evaluaciones posteriores, maximizando sus potenciales.

RESUMO Objetivo: Realizar Estudo de Avaliabilidade (EA) do Sistema de Informação do Programa Nacional de Imunização (SIPNI), considerando a descrição da intervenção, a elaboração do modelo teórico-lógico e a identificação das perguntas avaliativas. Método: Estudo de caso único, com abordagem qualitativa, baseado no sistema dos sete elementos propostos por Thurston e Ramaliu (2005). Definiu-se como caso o SIPNI e o contexto de análise, as salas de vacinação. Resultados: A descrição do SIPNI, fundamentada em documentos e evidências científicas, possibilitou compreender sua operacionalização, os principais acontecimentos que o caracterizam. O modelo teórico-lógico configurou de forma visual e sistemática a organização do SIPNI com detalhamento dos insumos, atividades, produtos e efeitos esperados. Foram estabelecidas e validadas as perguntas avaliativas para avaliar o SIPNI. Considerações finais: O SIPNI é avaliável e apresentou cenário favorável para o seu desenvolvimento. O EA é uma estratégia importante para o planejamento de avaliações subsequentes, maximizando seus potenciais.

Using Pneumococcal Carriage Data to Monitor Postvaccination Changes in the Incidence of Pneumococcal Otitis Media.

Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs) have substantially reduced the burden of pneumococcal disease, including the incidence of otitis media (OM). However, in most countries, no surveillance exists to monitor the change in pneumococcal OM incidence after the introduction of PCVs. We explored whether measuring pneumococcal carriage was a useful surrogate for monitoring postvaccination changes in the incidence of pneumococcal OM. The 7-valent PCV was introduced to Israel's national immunization program in July 2009 and gradually replaced by the 13-valent PCV starting in November 2010. Each day since 2009, nasopharyngeal swabs have been obtained from the first 4 Bedouin children and the first 4 Jewish children who were younger than 5 years old and attended a pediatric emergency room in southern Israel. During the same time, OM surveillance in southern Israel included all children younger than 2 years of age who were diagnosed with OM and had undergone a middle-ear fluid culture. The relative change in the prevalence of vaccine-serotype (VT) pneumococcal carriage was predictive of the relative change in incidence of OM due to VT pneumococcus. However, the serotype replacement observed in non-VT carriage is not paralleled in the incidence of OM due to non-VT pneumococcus. This could indicate that there are more complex mechanisms of the immune response involved in preventing initial and consecutive episodes of OM, which has been changed through declining prevalence of the most virulent serotypes as a result of vaccination.

Comparing the Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan With Federal Cancer Prevention and Control Recommendations.

INTRODUCTION: Since the introduction of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in 2012, 11 million more Americans now have access to preventive services via health care coverage. Several prevention-related recommendations issued by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) are covered under the ACA. State cancer plans often provide prevention strategies, but whether these strategies correspond to federal evidence-based recommendations is unclear. The objective of this article is to assess whether federal evidence-based recommendations, including those covered under the ACA, are included in the Maryland Comprehensive Cancer Control Plan (MCCCP). METHODS: A total of 19 federal recommendations pertaining to cancer prevention and control were identified. Inclusion of federal cancer-related recommendations by USPSTF, CDC, and ACIP in the MCCCP's goals, objectives, and strategies was examined. RESULTS: Nine of the federal recommendations were issued after the MCCCP's publication. MCCCP recommendations corresponded completely with 4 federal recommendations and corresponded only partially with 3. Reasons for partial correspondence included specification of less restrictive at-risk populations or different intervention implementers. Three federal recommendations were not mentioned in the MCCCP's goals, objectives, and strategies. CONCLUSION: Many cancer-related federal recommendations were released after the MCCCP's publication and therefore do not appear in the most current version. We recommend that the results of this analysis be considered in the update of the MCCCP. Our findings underscore the need for a periodic scan for changes to federal recommendations and for adjusting state policies and programs to correspond with federal recommendations, as appropriate for Marylanders.

Governability framework for the evaluation and implementation of complex public health functions.

BACKGROUND: The dominant theoretical basis of our public health practice originates from a positivist or reductionist paradigm. It fails to take into account the complexity emerging out of public health's multiple influences originating from biological and social worlds. A deeper understanding of the interaction of elements that characterize the implementation of public health functions will enhance our ability to generate evidence and learn further. OBJECTIVE: The "interactive governance theory" by Jan Kooiman introduced here offers an analytical framework that uses the concept of "governability." It is a measure of how governable a particular social system is that takes care of a public function. Assessment is facilitated by breaking down and describing the social system into constituent parts and by exploring the properties, qualities, and the way in which they interact with each other. Further, by deliberating a complex public health function such as immunization services in the context of developing countries, we explore the application of the interactive governance theory and governability. CONCLUSION: The theory offers new insights into how interactive and holistic approaches can be integrated into public health practice. The advantage of the concept of "governability" is that it enables us to explore why some governance systems deliver what they are expected to, while others do not. This might help us to identify areas where governance can be improved.

Expanding the recommendations for annual influenza vaccination to school-age children in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Despite long-standing recommendations to vaccinate children who have underlying chronic medical conditions or who are contacts of high-risk persons, vaccination coverage among school-age children remains low. Community studies have indicated that school-age children have the highest incidence of influenza and are an important source of amplifying and sustaining community transmission that affects all age groups. METHODS: A consultation to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of a universal recommendation for annual influenza vaccination of all children age ≥6 months was held in Atlanta, Georgia, in September 2007. Consultants provided summaries of current data on vaccine effectiveness, safety, supply, successful program implementation, and economics studies and discussed challenges associated with continuing a risk- and contact-based vaccination strategy compared with a universal vaccination recommendation. RESULTS: Consultants noted that school-age children had a substantial illness burden caused by influenza, that vaccine was safe and effective for children aged 6 months through 18 years, and that evidence suggested that vaccinating school-age children would provide benefits to both the vaccinated children and their unvaccinated household and community contacts. However, implementation of an annual recommendation for all school-age children would pose major challenges to parents, medical providers and health care systems. Alternative vaccination venues were needed, and of these school-located vaccination programs might offer the most promise as an alternative vaccination site for school-age children. CONCLUSIONS: Expansion of recommendations to include all school-age children will require additional development of an infrastructure to support implementation and methods to adequately evaluate impact.

Developing vaccinology expertise for Africa: six years and counting.

There exists high quality evidence showing that interactive educational meetings and workshops can improve healthcare worker performance. This evidence formed the basis for establishing the annual African Vaccinology Course in 2005 at the University of Cape Town in South Africa. The course, which is designed to develop vaccinology expertise for Africa, covers relevant basic sciences pertaining to vaccine-preventable diseases such as epidemiology, immunology and microbiology; discusses specific vaccine-preventable diseases; provides information on vaccine safety, vaccination strategies and evaluation of vaccines; discusses new vaccines in the pipeline; and promotes vaccine advocacy. We hope that course alumni would become strong advocates for childhood immunisation in their respective countries. Such dedicated advocacy should contribute to reducing the time gap between the development of new vaccines and the formulation of policies enabling their introduction in African countries, as well as contributing to more equitable increase in immunisation coverage in our continent.

Comparing measles with previous eradication programs: enabling and constraining factors.

BACKGROUND: Five major disease eradication initiatives were initiated during the second half of the 20th century. The enabling and constraining factors-political, social, economic, and other-for these previous and current eradication programs can inform decision making regarding a proposed measles eradication initiative. METHODS: We reviewed the literature on the yaws, malaria, smallpox, guinea worm, and polio eradication programs and compared enabling and constraining factors for each of these programs with the same factors as they relate to a possible measles eradication initiative. RESULTS: A potential measles eradication program would enjoy distinct advantages in comparison with earlier eradication programs, including strong political and societal support, economic analyses demonstrating a high level of cost-effectiveness, and a rigorous upfront process, compared with previous eradication initiatives, that has validated the feasibility of achieving measles eradication. However, increasing population density, urbanization, and wars/civil conflicts will pose serious challenges. CONCLUSIONS: Measles eradication will be very challenging but probably not as difficult to achieve as polio eradication. Measles eradication should be undertaken only if the commitments and resources will be adequate to meet the political, social, economic, and technical challenges.

Vaccine preventable diseases and vaccination policy for indigenous populations.

There are many similarities regarding the health status of Indigenous people in the 4 English-speaking developed countries of North America and the Pacific (United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand), where they are all now minority populations. Although vaccines have contributed to the reduction or elimination of disease disparities for many infections, Indigenous people continue to have higher morbidity and mortality from many chronic and infectious diseases compared with the general populations in their countries. This review summarizes the available data on the epidemiology of vaccine-preventable diseases in Indigenous populations in these 4 countries in the context of the vaccination strategies used and their impact, with the aim of identifying successful strategies with the potential for wider implementation.

Determining accurate vaccination coverage rates for adolescents: the National Immunization Survey-Teen 2006.

Since 1994, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has funded the National Immunization Survey (NIS), a large telephone survey used to estimate vaccination coverage of U.S. children aged 19-35 months. The NIS is a two-phase survey that obtains vaccination receipt information from a random-digit-dialed survey, designed to identify households with eligible children, followed by a provider record check, which obtains provider-reported vaccination histories for eligible children. In 2006, the survey was expanded for the first time to include a national sample of adolescents aged 13-17 years, called the NIS-Teen. This article summarizes the methodology used in the NIS-Teen. In 2008, the NIS-Teen was expanded to collect state-specific and national-level data to determine vaccination coverage estimates. This survey provides valuable information to guide immunization programs for adolescents.

Vaccine preventable diseases and vaccination coverage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, Australia 2003 to 2006.

This, the second report on vaccine preventable diseases and vaccination coverage in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, brings together the relevant sources of routinely collected data on vaccine preventable diseases--notifications, hospitalisations, deaths, and childhood and adult vaccination coverage. As a result of continued improvements in the collection of data on Indigenous status, this second report is considerably more comprehensive, with data available from more jurisdictions, and more detailed presentation, including time trends and vaccination coverage by jurisdiction. Vaccination coverage data provide evidence of successful program delivery and highlight some areas for improvement. For universally funded vaccines in children, coverage is similar in Indigenous and non-Indigenous children by 24 months of age. However, delayed vaccination is more common in Indigenous children, with 6%-8% fewer children fully vaccinated at 12 months of age. More timely vaccination, particularly within the first six months of life, is particularly important in reducing the disproportionate burdens of disease due to pertussis and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib). For vaccination programs targeted specifically at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and adults, coverage is substantially lower than for those programs targeted at all Australians. This is true for hepatitis A and polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine for children, and influenza and polysaccharide pneumococcal vaccine for adults. Targeted vaccination programs present a particular challenge for health services in urban areas. Nevertheless, the impact of vaccination programs in preventing disease and reducing the disparity of disease burden between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander and non-Indigenous people has been substantial. This is evident in data on notifications, hospitalisations and deaths. Diseases which, in the past, have had devastating and often disproportionately high impact on Indigenous people, such as diphtheria, measles, poliomyelitis, smallpox and tetanus, are now completely or almost completely absent from Australia. Hepatitis B infection, another disease responsible for high levels of infection and substantial serious illness and death in the pre-vaccine era, is also now well controlled in age groups eligible for vaccination. Although invasive Hib disease is now rare in Australia since the introduction of vaccination in 1993, higher rates of disease persist in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children. More research is needed into the contribution of environmental factors, delayed vaccination and vaccine failure to this continued disparity. Hepatitis A has disproportionately affected Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children in the past. Vaccination programs in north Queensland and in various other countries have been very successful in reducing the burden of hepatitis A. It is too early to assess the impact of the vaccination program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children that commenced in regions outside north Queensland in November 2005. For some other diseases the situation is more complicated. The substantial impact of the national meningococcal C vaccination program since 2003 is evident in this report, although the higher proportion of non-vaccine preventable serotype B disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people underlines the need for a new vaccine to cover this serotype. Pneumonia remains the most important communicable disease contributor to premature mortality in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people of all ages. In young Indigenous adults, the eightfold higher rate of hospitalisation compared with their non-Indigenous peers, and the 11-fold higher rate of invasive pneumococcal disease, suggest the need for more widespread use of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines in this age group. Current coverage for Indigenous 15-49 year olds, where influenza and pneumococcal vaccines are funded only for those with risk factors, is low even though some 70% of this age group have one or more risk factors. Overall, the data presented in this report provide powerful evidence for the impact of vaccines in reducing disease in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and also point to areas for further improvement. Immunisation programs are an example of how preventive health programs in general can be enhanced to close the gap in morbidity and mortality between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians.

How effectively can health care settings beyond the traditional medical home provide vaccines to adolescents?

OBJECTIVES: Our goal was to evaluate the capacity of various health care settings to supplement the activities of the traditional medical home by delivering vaccines to adolescents. METHODS: A group of experts in the fields of adolescent-immunization delivery and the provision of preventive care in various health care settings summarized the available literature, considered setting-specific factors, and assessed the ability of various health care settings beyond the traditional medical home to conform to the immunization quality standards set by the National Vaccine Advisory Committee, report vaccination information for the quantitative assessment of vaccine-coverage rates, be likely to offer vaccines to adolescents, and be viewed by adolescents as acceptable sites for receiving vaccinations. RESULTS: Seven candidate settings were evaluated: pharmacies, obstetrics-gynecology practices, sexually transmitted disease clinics, hospital emergency departments, family planning clinics, teen clinics, and local public health department immunization clinics. The panel concluded that all could safely provide vaccinations to adolescents but that vaccination efforts at some of the settings could potentially have a markedly greater impact on overall adolescent-immunization rates than could those at other settings. In addition, for adolescent-vaccination services to be practical, candidate settings need to have a clear interest in providing them. Conditional on that, several issues need to be addressed: (1) funding; (2) orienting facilities to provide preventive care services; (3) enhancing access to immunization registries; and (4) clarifying issues related to immunization consent. CONCLUSIONS: With supporting health policy, health education, and communication, health care settings beyond the traditional medical home have the potential to effectively augment the vaccination efforts of more traditional settings to deliver vaccines to adolescents. These health care settings may be particularly well suited to reach adolescents who lack access to traditional sources of preventive medical care or receive fragmented medical care.