As public health leaders double down on efforts to get shots to the 30% of eligible people in the U.S. that remain unvaccinated, featured 大象传媒 Health’s unique strategy to reach those who might have fallen through the cracks.
During the early days of vaccine rollout 鈥渨e realized that the vast majority of this communication was being done either by email or by MyChart messaging,鈥� said Jacob Stein, MD, a fellow in the division of oncology and first author of a research letter published in .
The letter recognizes how relying on digital communication can leave some patients behind, and that older people might be less likely to frequently check online patient portals. Rural residents could also have limited internet access, and many patients don鈥檛 own a device to check up on providers鈥� messages.
Stein听and a team at the 大象传媒 Cancer Hospital decided to use records differently. Using the electronic health record, they identified patients who received cancer therapy during the past year with follow-up scheduled, without an active patient portal account, no valid email on file, or who lived in a county with a greater than 20% poverty rate across multiple census points. They applied eligibility criteria for vaccination in North Carolina as they evolved, commencing with those older than 75 years. These criteria were developed over 3 weeks by the analytics and quality-improvement team within the cancer hospital, comprising physician and nursing leadership. A group of 4 nurses then placed scripted, informational telephone calls to each identified patient to provide standardized education about the eligibility, safety, and logistics of vaccination. Their approach was to aid patients in making informed decisions about vaccination, address identified barriers to vaccination when able, and respond to patients鈥� questions or concerns.
As a result, they identified numerous patients with unmet clinical or social needs, and although not the intended goal of the project, mitigating barriers became an integral part of the effort. The authors recognize that this may have yielded positive patient experiences and increased the ability for patients to become vaccinated.
Additional authors include Megan听Fasold,听BSN, MBAKaryn Jean听Daguerre,听BSN, MPH, OCN;听
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