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What is an immunization
registry? |
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An immunization registry is a confidential,
population-based, computerized information system and clinical
tool that attempts to collect vaccination information about individuals,
particularly children, within a geographical area.
When clinical staff use an immunization registry, it automatically
recommends which vaccines a child needs on any given day. The
registry’s recommendations are based on the child’s
past immunization history and the current Advisory Committee on
Immunization Practices (ACIP) childhood immunization schedule.
The use of an immunization registry will eliminate confusion regarding
the schedule and minimize incomplete immunization records.
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What is the
purpose of the NCIR?
The purpose of the NCIR is to:
- Give health care providers, schools, parents and child care
facilities timely access to complete and accurate clinical immunization
records
- Assist health care providers in evaluating the immunization
status of their patients thereby identifying children who are
past due or missing immunizations
- Assist health care providers in managing their vaccine inventory
- Help communities assess their immunization coverage and identify
pockets of need
- Fulfill federal and state immunization reporting needs
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What are the benefits
of using the NCIR?
The following are benefits of using the NCIR:
- Real-time access to clinical immunization information
- Computer-generated recall/reminder notices for patient immunizations
- Computer-generated official certificate of immunizations
- Patient demographics, including that from Vital Records and
Medicaid
- Easy documentation of required immunization data (vaccine
type, immunization date, manufacturer, lot #, site, route, VIS
publication date, VIS date given, VFC eligibility)
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What are the minimum
technical requirements to access the NCIR?
Hardware requirements:
- 100 Mhz Pentium processor (500 Mhz or higher recommended)
- 32 MB of RAM (64 MB or higher recommended)
- 500 MB of free disk space
- Screen display set at a minimum of 800x600 resolution and
256 colors
- Mouse
- Printer connection
- Reliable Internet access, preferably with a dedicated connection.
A modem connection will also work, but will perform more slowly.
Software requirements:
- Internet browser software, recommended: Microsoft Internet
Explorer, version 5.0 or higher
- Windows 95, 98, ME, NT, or XP
- Adobe Acrobat Reader 4.01 or higher (available free of charge
for downloading via web)
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Is the NCIR HIPPA compliant? |
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The NCIR has been deemed to be exempt from the HIPAA Privacy
Rule. Covered entities are permitted under HIPAA to report information
to Public Health Authorities and HIPAA does not supersede state
law in this respect.
North Carolina requires the sharing of immunization information
with the NC Department of Health and Human Services, local health
departments, physicians, schools K-12, colleges and universities,
licensed and registered child care facilities, Head Start, Health
Maintenance Organizations, and other state and local health departments
outside of North Carolina.
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What are the incentives
for private practices to use the NCIR? |
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The following are incentives for private practices to use
the NCIR:
- Improved quality of patient care
- Elimination of Vaccine Administration Logs (VALs) as method
of vaccine accountability for state-supplied vaccine
- Reduction of staff time to make clinical decisions and create
clinical documentation
- Reduction in staff time to obtain records from other organizations
and respond to records requests
- Efficient and easy inventory management
- On-line ordering of state-supplied vaccines
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