Strategies to Increase Health Care Providers Use of Population Based Immunization Information Systems | Apply Online

Opportunity Summary:

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funding opportunity titled "Strategies to Increase Health Care Providers Use of Population Based Immunization Information Systems" focuses on improving how immunization information systems (IIS) are actually used in day-to-day clinical care. IIS are confidential, computerized systems that bring together vaccination records from multiple health care providers, support reminder and recall outreach, and help public health agencies and communities measure vaccination coverage in a defined area. The CDC points out that by 2008, about 75 percent of U.S. children around age 6 (roughly 18 million children) were included in an IIS, suggesting broad participation at the data level. However, the public health problem highlighted in this announcement is that participation does not necessarily translate into consistent, practical use by clinicians and practices during real clinical encounters and routine office workflows.

The opportunity is driven by a gap identified in a 2010 review by the Task Force on Community Preventive Services: there were not enough published studies showing that providers were using IIS at the point of care to guide vaccination decisions (for example, checking the IIS to determine which vaccines are due during a visit). The review also found limited evidence on how practices use IIS functions for vaccination promotion and practice management activities, such as running reminder/recall campaigns, identifying patients who are overdue, and supporting vaccine ordering decisions. In response, this project is meant to generate actionable evidence on what strategies work to increase systematic provider use of IIS features in clinical settings, and to emphasize strategies that can realistically be implemented by IIS programs, public health systems, and health care practices.

The work described in the announcement follows a practical, stepwise research-to-implementation approach. First, the project is expected to document and describe how an IIS is currently being used in clinical environments. Next, it must identify the barriers that prevent providers and practices from using IIS functions consistently, whether those barriers are related to workflow disruptions, staff time, training, usability, data quality concerns, integration with electronic health records, uncertainty about policies, or lack of perceived value. After identifying barriers, the project then moves into designing strategies that directly address those obstacles. Importantly, the CDC expects multiple strategies to be developed, implemented, and evaluated, rather than a single intervention. The evaluation focus is on whether these strategies produce significant improvements in systematic IIS use in clinical care, not just whether the tools exist.

The intended outcomes are framed in terms of real-world performance improvements in immunization delivery. The CDC emphasizes that stronger, more routine clinical use of IIS should help increase vaccination coverage, reduce missed opportunities for vaccination (such as when a patient comes in for a visit but does not receive a due vaccine because the record was incomplete or not checked), and improve efficiency in routine office practices. In other words, the goal is not only better public health surveillance, but better clinical decision-making and smoother immunization workflows at the provider level.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this was a discretionary CDC grant using a cooperative agreement mechanism, meaning the CDC would likely have substantial involvement in the project’s direction and oversight compared with a standard grant. The opportunity number is RFA IP 11 008, and it was posted January 24, 2011, with an application deadline of April 12, 2011, and an archive date of May 12, 2011. The program anticipated making one award, with estimated total funding of $800,000 and an award ceiling of $200,000 (award floor listed as $0). No cost sharing or matching was required. The CFDA listing included 93.185 (Immunization Research, Demonstration, Public Information and Education) and Training and Clinical Skills Improvement Projects.

Eligibility was broad but specific in a few key ways. Eligible applicants included a wide range of entities such as public and private higher education institutions (including organizations like HBCUs, Hispanic-serving institutions, tribally controlled colleges and universities, and Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions), nonprofits, and multiple levels of government (state, county, city/township, special districts, tribal governments, U.S. territories). The announcement also allowed other entities such as independent school districts, public housing authorities, regional organizations, faith-based or community-based organizations, and bona fide agents. At the same time, the CDC specified that entities must be states (or bona fide agents of states), political subdivisions of states, or other public or nonprofit private entities. If applying as a bona fide agent on behalf of a state or local government, the applicant had to include a legal, binding agreement documenting that status. A particularly important requirement was that the applicant needed to provide a letter of support demonstrating a partnership with a population-based IIS affiliated with a state or city health department; without that letter, the application would not be reviewed. This requirement signals that CDC wanted projects grounded in real IIS operations and public health partnerships, rather than purely academic or theoretical studies.

Overall, the opportunity is best understood as an applied implementation and evaluation effort meant to close the gap between having immunization data in an IIS and using that IIS reliably at the point of care and for proactive vaccination outreach. The CDC’s emphasis is on practical strategies that can be adopted by clinics, providers, and public health IIS programs to make IIS use routine, measurable, and meaningful in improving vaccination outcomes and clinic efficiency. For questions or access issues related to the full announcement, the CDC Procurement and Grants Office TIMS was listed as the contact point (770-488-2700, PGOTIM@cdc.gov).

Browse more opportunities from the same agency: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Browse more opportunities from the same category: Health

Next opportunity: Appalachian Trail Atmospheric Deposition Effects Study

Previous opportunity: Migratory Bird Joint Ventures Gulf Coast Joint Venture Fiscal Year 2011

USGrants.org Applicant Portal:

Are you interested in learning about about how to apply for this government funding opportunity? You can create a free applicant account and receive instant access to our applicant portal that many business owners like you have benefited from.

Apply for RFA IP 11 008

 

[Watch] how do funding administrators access proposals?

Applicants also applied for:

Applicants who have applied for this opportunity (RFA IP 11 008) also looked into and applied for these:

 

Grant application guides and resources

It is always free to apply for government grants. However the process may be very complex depending on the funding opportunity you are applying for. Let us help you!

Apply for Grants

 

 

Premium leads for funding administrators, grant writers, and loan issuers

Thousands of people visit our website for their funding needs every day. When a user creates a grant proposal and files for submission, we pass the information on to funding administrators, grant writers, and government loan issuers.

If you manage government grant programs, provide grant writing services, or issue personal or government loans, we can help you reach your audience.

Subscribe to Leads

 

Request more information:

Would you like to learn more about this funding opportunity, similar opportunities to "RFA IP 11 008", eligibility, application service, and/or application tips? Submit an inquiry below:

Don't forget to subscribe to our grant alerts mailing list to receive weekly alerts on new and updated grant funding opportunities like this one in your email.