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What is the Vaccines For Children Program?
· The Vaccines For Children (VFC) Program is a federally funded,
state operated entitlement program that began October 1, 1994. This
program supplies vaccine to participating providers.
· The goal of the VFC Program is assure that no child is denied
immunization services because of inability to pay for the vaccine or
administration of the vaccine.
· Under this program, all children 0 through 18 years of age
are eligible for VFC vaccine if they are enrolled in Medicaid, are American
Indian or Alaskan Native, have no health insurance or their insurance
does not cover the cost of vaccination.
· The VFC Program also allows the child to stay in their medical
homes for the basic preventive health service of vaccination.
What are the Vaccines For Children Program requirements?
· Screen all children for VFC eligibility.
· Maintain a record of the screening. You can maintain this record
in the patient’s chart or in the Oklahoma State Immunization Information
System (OSIIS). OSIIS is an online immunization registry that may be
accessed through any IBM compatible PC with a modem.
· Maintain a record of the lot number, manufacturer, dose number,
site, and person administering the vaccine in the patient’s chart or
in OSIIS.
· Send in Doses Administered Reports monthly or record doses
administered in OSIIS. Doses Administered Reports should be sent in
at the end of each month via fax or mail. Failure to use OSIIS or send
in Doses Administered Reports may lead to delay or suspension of vaccine
delivery.
· Follow the recommended immunization schedule as established
by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), the American
Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Practitioners,
and Oklahoma state law.
· Providers may not charge for vaccine supplied by the VFC Program.
· Provide Vaccine Information Statements (VIS) at every visit
that includes vaccination. (This is a federal regulation required of
all providers regardless of their enrollment in the VFC program.)
· Complete the Provider Profile annually.
· Agree to provider site visits by Oklahoma Immunization Service
staff.
· Conduct a monthly inventory of VFC vaccine and reconcile with
OSIIS, if applicable.
What are the benefits of being a Vaccines For Children Provider?
· FREE VACCINE to eligible patients.
· ADMINISTRATION FEES are allowed, but the charge may not exceed
the regional fee cap of $13.33 per dose. And you may not deny vaccine
to your VFC-eligible patients due to inability to pay administration
fees.
· DECREASED RATES of vaccine-preventable diseases in Oklahoma.
Your active and enthusiastic participation in this program will bring
up Oklahoma’s low immunization rates and protect our children from disease.
· OSIIS ACCESS. Oklahoma’s registry, OSIIS, is available at no
charge. This system will generate orders, track children due or past
due for vaccination, and keep your staff from doing more paperwork!
· INFORMATION ACCESS. As a VFC provider you have access to Oklahoma
Immunization Service staff members to provide education in immunization
technique, administration, vaccine handling, vaccine storage, and understanding
the immunization schedule. Staff members can also install CASA and train
your staff to use this program. CASA is a program to help you assess
and increase your immunization rates.
What is the Oklahoma State Immunization Information System
(OSIIS) and how do I use it?
· OSIIS is a statewide immunization registry that Oklahoma began
using in 1995. It is designed to collect and maintain accurate, complete,
and current immunization records for the entire population of Oklahoma,
but the main emphasis has been children’s records.
· Any physician or clinic that provides immunization through
the VFC program may access OSIIS to determine what vaccines are needed
and record any vaccines given. Not every VFC provider is on OSIIS, so
children going to those providers will not have a current record in
OSIIS.
· Participating providers have free local or long distance access
to OSIIS 7 days a week. Providers must record immunization in OSIIS
within one week of administration. All records entered in to OSIIS should
be recorded accurately and completely.
· OSIIS will generate orders and keep providers from filling
out and sending in monthly Doses Administered Reports.
· Patient confidentiality is protected by providing log-on identifications
and passwords.
· OSIIS and Immunization Service staff will provide training
for the registry.
How does OSIIS benefit my practice?
· OSIIS maintains an inventory of your VFC vaccine and automatically
orders vaccine as quantity on hand falls below a certain level.
· OSIIS tracks adverse events to vaccine.
· OSIIS is a permanent medical record. You can print a shot record
from OSIIS instead of hand writing the parent’s records.
· OSIIS generates monthly mailing recall of children 5 years
of age and younger who are due or past due for immunizations. Postcards
refer parents to the physician or clinic that gave the last dose of
vaccine.
· OSIIS provides a quick and easy means of assessing immunization
levels using CASA, a software program developed by the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention.
· OSIIS saves time by being able to access shot records given
at other participating providers. This reduces the number of calls your
staff makes to other providers looking for vaccination records.
· OSIIS provides support staff to conduct initial training/installation
and to answer any further questions through a help line.
· OSIIS is a permanent medical record. When parents lose their
child’s record, any participating provider can print of a copy of the
shot record from OSIIS.
What is a provider site visit?
· Immunization staff routinely conduct quality assurance visits
to ensure that vaccine is used and handled appropriately. This will
include:
o Physically checking vaccine storage and handling.
o Vaccine administration questions.
o VFC screening and recording questions.
o Ten chart audit or ten record audit in OSIIS.
o Ensuring VISs are given to parents.
o Immunization staff may recommend an immunization in-service for your
staff. You may also contact Immunization staff for an in-service by
calling (405) 271-4073 and asking to speak to your representative.
This VFC & OSIIS info is from the Oklahoma State Department of Health Immunization Service at www.health.state.ok.us/program/imm/vaccinesforchildren.html |
(918)595-4514
