Immunization information system progress--United States- 2003.

One

of the national health objectives for 2010 is to increase to at

least 95% the proportion of children aged <6 years who

participate in fully operational- population-based immunization

registries (objective 14-26). Immunization registries are

confidential- computerized information systems that collect and

consolidate vaccination data from multiple health-care providers-

generate reminder and recall notifications- and assess vaccination

coverage. A registry with added capabilities- such as vaccine

management- adverse event reporting- lifespan vaccination

histories- and interoperability with electronic medical records

(EMRs)- is called an immunization information system (IIS). This

report summarizes data from CDC\'s 2003 Immunization Registry Annual

Report (IRAR)- a survey of IIS grantees in 50 states- five cities-

and the District of Columbia (DC) that receive funding under

section 317b of the Public Health Service Act. The findings of the

2003 IRAR indicate that approximately 44% of U.S. children aged

<6 years participated in an IIS. In addition- 76% of public

vaccination provider sites and 36% of private vaccination provider

sites submitted immunization data to an IIS during the last 6

months of 2003. Increasing health-care provider participation by

linking EMRs to IISs is vital to meeting the national health

objective.