Brief In-Office Demonstrations Yield High Enrollment Rates Jennifer West, MPH Health Educator VaxTrack Immunization Registry Program Riverside County Department of Public Health Riverside, CA

Overview Rationale for brief in-office registry demonstrations Structure of a brief demo Making the decision to enroll an easy one Results of using brief demo strategy Conclusions

Rationale for Brief Demos Provider offices are extremely busy and usually short-staffed The hassle of assembling staff and finding even 30 minutes when all are able to attend a demo can lead to Delays in demo appointment scheduling A first impression that participating in the registry will be a burden

Rationale for Brief Demos To create a more favorable first impression and avoid disrupting the clinic flow, Riverside County offers 15-minute in-office registry demonstrations

Structure of a Brief Demo Who Office Manager or lead Medical Assistant and any other staff who may be available What May be formal presentation to a group or informal 1-on-1 conversation Use laptop to demonstrate software No food or beverages provided

Structure of a Brief Demo When At the clinic’s earliest convenience Typically during lunch or when the provider is not in the office Where Usually determined upon arrival. May be at front desk, RN station, lunch room, waiting room, etc.

Structure of a Brief Demo Demo Outline (10 minutes) Introduce yourself Overview of registry system in US, state, region, including current participation levels and future plans Demonstration of software with an emphasis on simplicity and user-friendliness

Structure of a Brief Demo Demo Outline (10 minutes) Practical benefits of participation Obligations of participation Enrollment procedure Q&A (5 minutes) Address patient privacy issues Ask for signed Provider Agreement and schedule training

Making Registry an Easy Decision Registry participation solves a problem or annoyance for the clinic Having to call other providers to obtain vaccine records Having to reschedule patient appointments Having to re-vaccinate children Missing an opportunity to immunize Having to do reminder/recall activities

Making Registry an Easy Decision Registry participation requires minimal investment of time and money Free or very low cost Easy to learn Easy to use Not excessively time-consuming Registry staff provide startup and ongoing user support

Making Registry an Easy Decision The Registry is not “more work they have to do for the government” It is a tool designed to make verification of vaccine history easier for clinics, which has benefits for providers, patients, and parents Public health supports the program because we want to help clinics make sure kids get the right shots at the right time

Results of Using Brief Demos in Riverside County Of all eligible* private providers contacted, 75.8% requested a registry demonstration Of eligible* private providers receiving a demonstration, 73.5% enrolled in the registry * Eligible = Provider office has computers with internet access and gives vaccines to children age 5 years and under

Conclusions A 15-minute in-office registry demonstration is sufficient to communicate the information necessary to enroll new providers To overcome attitudinal barriers to enrollment, avoid taking too much of providers’ time, focus on what’s in it for them, and leave them amazed at how little they must invest to obtain it