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In This Issue…
- AIRA's COVID-19 Response Update
- AIRA Appreciates Our Members!
- Join Us at the AIRA 2021 National Meeting
- HIMSS21 Global Health Conference & Exhibition
- Monthly Technical Assistance Hot Topics
- AIRA's Pilot Interoperability Course Has Ended
- US Rooftop Geocoding Pilot Coming Soon
- AIRA Board Corner: John Robison, Director
- Information Requests
- Committee and Workgroup Updates: April Recap
- AIRA Job Opportunities
- In the News - April 2021
Check Out the AIRA Events Calendar for Upcoming…
AIRA's COVID-19 Response Update
Greetings,
By the end of April, over 50% of people 18 years and older and more than 80% of people 65 and older had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine in the United States. Vaccine eligibility also was expanded to all adults. Your contributions have been instrumental in this accomplishment. With vaccine demand starting to wane in some areas, we know jurisdictions are actively using new tools and methods to identify pockets of need, support equitable vaccine distribution, and to fill the remaining gaps.
This month, AIRA continued to support COVID-19 vaccine data reporting and tracking efforts from many angles ranging from data quality to broader IIS policy assistance. We hosted a number of virtual meetings, including our April Discovery Session, which was an orientation to AIRA for new IIS staff; an IIS Information Session for those working on vaccine credentialing initiatives; a Mindfulness Training series; our quarterly Members and Partners Meeting; and a two-day virtual meeting of subject matter experts on improving adult vaccination capture in IIS beyond COVID-19. We are most excited about the prospect of returning to some meetings in person, including the AIRA 2021 National Meeting, which is being planned for August 3–5 in a hybrid format with in-person and virtual options.
Please be sure to keep your eye out for upcoming AIRA happenings in the next weeks and months, including two May Discovery Sessions (one on May 10 and one on May 24) on vaccine credentialing.
I hope you were able to enjoy some level of a spring break whether you remained close to home or ventured farther away.
Rebecca Coyle, MSEd
Executive Director
AIRA Appreciates Our Members!
AIRA is a membership organization, and we value the collaboration, input, and dedication that you, our members, provide to us year-round. Our organization exists to support and advocate for you, and we are here to help you as you strengthen our nationwide network of IIS.
With how challenging the last year has been, we want to honor and show our appreciation for the work you’ve done. AIRA staff recorded an appreciation video and wrote some heartfelt words for you in cards that were distributed earlier this month. We hope these tokens of our appreciation feel as meaningful to you as you are to us.
Thank you again for your hard work and dedication. We appreciate you!
Join Us at the AIRA 2021 National Meeting
Welcome to the new normal. The AIRA 2021 National Meeting will be a hybrid meeting with both in-person and virtual components on August 3–5 in Portland, Oregon. Whether you attend in person or virtually, the meeting will be an opportunity to continue to work toward our common goal of promoting the use of immunization information to ensure healthy communities through the development and implementation of immunization information systems.
The National Meeting website is now live. Go there to:
- Submit content ideas for consideration or offer to lead a group discussion
- Register for the meeting
- Reserve your hotel room
HIMSS21 Global Health Conference & Exhibition
Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) is a global advisor and thought leader supporting the transformation of the health ecosystem through information and technology. The HIMSS21 Global Health Conference & Exhibition will be held on August 9–13, 2021 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and virtually.
Join AIRA at the Conference and Save on Registration!
AIRA is excited to be a Collaborator of HIMSS21 and our members receive the HIMSS member rate to attend. To receive the discount:
- Go to the conference website
- Click on “Register Now”
- Sign in or create an account
- Select AIRA from the “Conference Collaborating Organizations” dropdown menu
- Enter the code COLLAB21
Monthly Technical Assistance Hot Topics
The AIRA Standards and Analytics Team responds to technical assistance requests submitted by the IIS community. Here a few of the hot topics from the past month that may be helpful to your work.
How do we meet the Federal Emergency Management Agency requirement to report disability status?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is working on guidance for how to communicate this information. There is no expectation that this important information be collected within the IIS.
What eligibility code should we use for a Vaccines For Children (VFC)-eligible person receiving COVID-19 vaccine?
Based on pages 24–25 of the HL7 Version 2.5.1 Implementation Guide for Immunization Messaging (Release 1.5)–Addendum, V01 should be used. One of the conditions that must be met to use a VFC-Eligible code (V02–V05) is “The type of vaccine administered is eligible for VFC funding.”
What resources are available to help with patient matching logic?
There is guidance from the Modeling of Immunization Registry Operations Workgroup (MIROW) in its 2017 Consolidating Demographic Records and Vaccinations Event Records and CDC’s 2013 Immunization Information Systems Patient-Level De-Duplication Best Practices. There is a lot of community interest in figuring out how to best conduct patient matching given the increasing demand and use of IIS for COVID-19 vaccinations. To participate in this continuing discussion, join the next HL7 Immunization User Group meeting on May 13, 2021.
Has AIRA given any guidance on how to report a patient’s sexual orientation/gender identity when it comes to immunization messages?
The HL7 Orders and Observations group is developing guidance for messaging these concepts, which are different from Administrative Sex normally sent in the HL7 PID-8 field. The Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, Administrative Sex, Birth Sex, Etc. Confluence page has information, including the Logical Observation Identifiers Names and Codes (LOINC), upcoming meetings, and opportunities to contribute your jurisdiction’s guidance.
Don’t hesitate to contact us for technical assistance. We can quickly answer a question or dive deeper into topics, such as helping you and your IIS technical development team better understand issues and make plans to more fully align with standards. Fill out a Technical Assistance Request or contact Kristi Siahaya for more information.
AIRA's Pilot Interoperability Course Has Ended
AIRA’s Pilot Interoperability Course has ended. This 26-session series was conducted over three months, with each class consisting of a lecture, Menti quiz, and in-class exercise. Participants learned about various interoperability concepts, including how computer systems are connected, immunization messaging, conformance, testing, and onboarding. Thank you to the 36 participants who attended over 80% of the live instruction! Please email Assiatou Diallo if you’re interested in participating in the next course offering.
US Rooftop Geocoding Pilot Coming Soon
Are you a current SmartyStreets user? Are you interested in learning more about US Rooftop Geocoding and how it can impact your IIS data? AIRA is in the process of implementing a pilot for the US Rooftop Geocoding service. The team at SmartyStreets will partner with AIRA to provide the service to five IIS members who have a signed partner agreement.
Anyone interested in learning more about this pilot is encouraged to attend the next SmartyStreets User Group meeting on May 19, 2021, at 2 p.m. ET.
If you have any questions about using SmartyStreets or the SmartyStreets User Group, contact Tesha Lucas.
AIRA Board Corner: John Robison, Director
Name: John Robison
Title: Deputy IIS Manager
What do I do: I provide leadership to the PhilaVax IIS and general support to the immunization program at the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.
Organization’s name: Philadelphia Department of Public Health
Role on the AIRA board: Director
What do you like most about being on the AIRA Board? The opportunity to lend my expertise to the direction of the organization
What excites you most about the IIS community? The future possibilities that come with increased interoperability, being able to better track records, and exchange data between providers and jurisdictions
How does your involvement on the AIRA Board bring value to your program? I think being on the board provides our program with a bit of extra knowledge on the administrative side of the IIS community. This added insight allows us to create better plans for our IIS's future.
What is your favorite recent movie, book, or podcast and why? Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga. It's a fun but very silly movie with an entertaining soundtrack.
What song would you play to get pumped up? "Raise Your Hands" by Bon Jovi
What is your motto? “Let your mind go and your body will follow" from the movie L.A. Story
What’s your favorite vacation spot? Japan
Information Requests
AIRA members can submit and review information requests—a circulation of questions to and answers from the community. Recent information requests on the topic below can be found by using the “Information Requests” filter in the AIRA repository.
- Consumer Access/Vaccine Credential Strategies
Information requests are viewable only by individual members and individuals affiliated with member and partner organizations. Just log in to view these valuable resources! If you have any questions, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Committee and Workgroup Updates: April Recap
HL7 Immunization User Group
- The HL7 Immunization User Group met on April 11.
- The user group received an update on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI).
- The discussion topic for the user group was a presentation on frequently asked questions related to eligibility date, mismatched Manufacturers of Vaccines (MVX) codes, lot and CVX (Codes for Vaccines Administered) codes, funding source/eligibility, and more.
- The next user group meeting is May 13, 2021, from 2 to 3 p.m. ET.
MACAW
- The Measurement for Assessment and Certification Advisory Workgroup (MACAW) met on April 5 and discussed the upcoming Virtual Annual Meeting.
- The workgroup was given an update on National Drug Codes (NDC), Acknowledgment (ACK) messages, and the new denominator.
- The MACAW Virtual Annual Meeting is on May 5, 2021, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET and May 6, 2021, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET.
Standards & Interoperability Steering Committee
- The SISC met on April 14 and received an update from the HL7 Immunization User Group.
- The committee discussed the Lot Number Release and criticality of lot numbers.
- The committee also discussed HL7 SOGI, HL7 Immunization User Group Expansion, and public health trainings.
- The committee reviewed the Immunization Integration Program’s updated Acknowledgment guidance.
- The next committee meeting is May 12, 2021, from 1 to 2 p.m. ET.
Tableau User Group
- The Tableau User Group (TUG) met on April 27.
- Taylor Payne and Tavio Pirocchi held collaborative breakout rooms where they presented their own “Makeover Monday” dashboards.
- Discussions centered on the best visualizations for telling a story with the data.
- The latest Tableau Public Dashboard is now available.
- It’s not too late to join TUG! Email Courtnay Londo if you’re interested.
- The next user group meeting is May 25, 2021, from noon to 1 p.m. ET.
AIRA Job Opportunities
Are you interested in working for AIRA or in the IIS community? Find current job openings at AIRA and other states/jurisdictions on the Employment Opportunities and Requests for Proposals page on the AIRA website.
AIRA is looking for an Administrative Assistant on the Strategic Initiatives Team to perform a variety of administrative and clerical tasks, including providing support to members, managers, and employees and helping to plan, organize, and implement the organization's day-to-day activities. Detailed information can be found here. Please share this information with anyone who is interested and qualified. Send completed application packages, including an AIRA Job Application, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday, May 7, 2021.
Opportunities for independent contractors
To be notified of future contracting opportunities, please sign up here.
AIRA is looking for a Meeting Planning Coordinator Consultant to manage between 10 and 20 small live and virtual meetings each year for approximately 10–60 attendees. This is a part-time, contract position with projects and deadlines that will ebb and flow throughout the year. Detailed information can be found here. Please share this information with anyone who is interested and qualified. Send completed application packages, including an AIRA Job Application, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by Friday, May 7, 2021.
Requests for résumés
AIRA has a need to increase its organizational capacity. Positions may be temporary, full-time, part-time, or contractor. Find detailed information here. Share this information with anyone who may be interested and qualified. Send completed application packages, including an AIRA Job Application, to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
In the News - April 2021
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