Happy National Immunization Awareness Month!
With students preparing for another academic year, I am sure many of you are already in the throes of back-to-school immunization campaigns. Thank you to everyone for all that you do to ensure our communities are healthy and up to date on their vaccinations. Hopefully, you’ll find time this month to reflect on and celebrate all your hard work.
On July 12, AIRA held a Town Hall providing IIS managers, program managers, technology partners, and CDC a platform to have candid discussions regarding the recent funding loss and its impact on program priorities. While programs are still working through the impacts and what to prioritize, it was apparent that IIS programs are prioritizing staffing, data-quality, and system-maintenance activities.
In July, we had a great turnout for our Discovery Session on IIS and health equity. Thank you to the 200 individuals who joined us! We are already looking forward to our next Discovery Session, taking place on August 28 from 4-5 p.m. ET, covering PHII’s Workforce Development and Technical Assistance.
This past month we also released our new membership video. If you have not had a chance to watch it, I highly recommend it. The video gives a high-level overview of the many benefits of being an AIRA member. Additionally, as of October 1, 2023, AIRA membership dues will increase by 25%. For any questions or concerns, please contact Jo Turcotte at Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser..
Last but certainly not least, in collaboration with CDC and our Measurement and Certification Advisory Workgroup (MACAW), we introduced two new content areas to the Testing and Discovery stage of the Measurement and Improvement Initiative: VFC Provider Participation and HL7 Patient Matching.
I hope you all are able to enjoy the final full month of summer. Here’s wishing everyone a great (and cooler) August!
Rebecca Coyle, MSEd
Executive Director
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Changes to AIRA Membership Pricing
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AIRA is steadfast in its commitment to support and advocate on behalf of the IIS community. An increase in membership dues will ensure that we can continue our efforts as we collectively manage the challenges that lie ahead. Since the last dues increase in 2018, AIRA has expanded its technical and educational resources, convened the community around new challenges, and amplified the voice of the IIS.
Effective October 1, 2023, AIRA membership dues will increase by 25%. The new rates are as follows:
- IIS membership: $2,495
- Nonprofit membership: $625
- Individual membership: $365
Two-year membership [NEW]
AIRA is offering a new two-year membership that expires on September 30, 2025, and includes a 5% discount. Recent CDC guidance for the pre-payment of certain expenditures may be applicable. Please check the guidance and your local rules for pre-paying membership into future years.
The two-year membership rates are as follows:
- IIS membership: $4,741
- Nonprofit membership: $1,188
- Individual membership: $694
Hardship clause
AIRA’s mission is to ensure that all IIS are fully supported and represented. If your jurisdiction is unable to pay in full for membership at this time, please email Jo Turcotte so we can further discuss other options and make appropriate arrangements.
Supporting members
To better define the role of our current supporting members, as of October 1, 2023, supporting members will be known as corporate partners. An updated list of prices and benefits will be communicated to all current partners in the coming weeks.
We value you!
Your involvement is essential to AIRA’s success. We appreciate your efforts and contributions as, together, we strive to ensure that the IIS community is fully supported and represented.
Contact AIRA
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to AIRA membership coordinator Jo Turcotte at Cette adresse e-mail est protégée contre les robots spammeurs. Vous devez activer le JavaScript pour la visualiser. with any questions or concerns.
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M&I Office Hours: New Testing & Discovery Reports
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AIRA is hosting two optional office hour sessions for IIS staff on the new Provider Participations reports and HL7 Patient Matching evaluation reports released in the Aggregate Analysis Reporting Tool (AART). Please join if you have questions and/or to provide feedback about these new reports.
- Tuesday, August 8 from 4-5 p.m ET: Zoom link
- Wednesday, August 9 from 11-12 p.m. ET: Zoom link
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HL7 Immunization User Group Updates
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The HL7 Immunization User Group, which provides a forum for training, education, and peer-to-peer support among IIS and EHR implementers, is excited to welcome its newest co-chair, Aliz Deppe, from the Utah Statewide Immunization Information System (USIIS) team!
Aliz joins fellow co-chairs Danny Wise and Kevin Snow in inviting all HL7-curious and FHIRed-up members from the IIS community to join the next user group meeting on Thursday, August 10 at 2 p.m. ET. The August meeting will feature the final installment of the Summer of Data Quality series.
Interested? Submit a brief request form to be added to the invite!
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New M&I Reports for Q2: April-June
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IIS can access their individual Measurement and Improvement (M&I) Assessment and updated Validation reports for the second quarter of 2023 (April-June) in the Aggregate Analysis Reporting Tool (AART). AIRA has adapted its Validation certificate issuance process so that jurisdictions now receive M&I Validation certificates directly to the email address associated with the contact listed as their AART admin user. As a reminder, jurisdictions can update their AART settings and users at any time following the steps outlined here.
Aggregate Assessment and Validation Summary reports for M&I content areas Transport, Submission/Acknowledgment, Query/Response, Data Quality Incoming/Ongoing, and Clinical Decision Support have also been updated for the IIS community and can be accessed on AIRA’s repository.
Looking to improve your M&I results? Submit a technical assistance request to get the conversation started with a member of AIRA’s Standards and Analytics team.
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Enhancing IIS Data Quality: Exploring VFC Provider Participation and HL7 Patient Matching in M&I Testing and Discovery
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Join us for AIRA’s Discovery Session Featuring PHII’s Workforce Development and Technical Assistance Resources
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Join us for the next AIRA Discovery Session on Monday, August 28, from 4-5 p.m. ET to hear about the Public Health Informatics Institute’s (PHII) new and updated resources. You’ll hear from Vijay Pathangi and Judith Kerr on how you can level up your IIS skills with the help of various resources that PHII has created for you. During the session, you will:
- Learn how PHII supports public health programs
- Expand your knowledge of PHII resources to support workforce development and technical assistance of IIS teams
- Determine opportunities for you and your team to engage with PHII
- Learn how PHII, AIRA and CDC work together to support IIS programs
There will be time for questions and answers at the end of the webinar.
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Once you have registered, you will receive a confirmation email which contains links to add the meeting to your calendar.
If you’re unable to attend, this session will be recorded and available in the AIRA Repository.
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The Board Spotlight provides both AIRA staff and the IIS community the opportunity to learn a little about each AIRA board member. Every month, we will feature a different board member. This month, we are getting to know Nancy Sharova, health program supervisor at the Connecticut Immunization Information System (CT WiZ).
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What is one thing you would like to say to the IIS community?
The IIS community is resourceful; remember that AIRA is here to support IIS. Reach out and utilize the available resources.
Tell us about your favorite or worst job in high school or college.
In college, I taught water aerobics to senior citizens with disabilities. I fondly remember their enthusiasm and how they giggled at me when I told them to jog with “butt kicks” and “high knees.” It did not dawn on me that “high knees” sounded like another funny word until they pointed it out to me.
What’s your favorite part of being on the AIRA board?
Getting to know the dedicated and fun people who truly care about moving IIS forward through best practices and advocating for the IIS community.
If you had a time machine, would you go back in time or into the future? Why?
Back in time to see concerts of musicians long gone. I don’t want to see the future; I want to have things to look forward to and be surprised.
What’s one thing you have learned from an AIRA workgroup or committee?
You are not alone. AIRA workgroups/committees have passionate people working together to develop best practices as IIS activities/projects come our way.
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If you could be on a TV show, which one would you choose and why?
I’m camera shy, but I’d choose a travel show where they explore beautiful destinations around the world, because I love different cultures and foods.
Please share a person or experience that influenced your career in a positive way.
Joan Christison-Lagay started the Connecticut Immunization Registry and worked on the CDSi project. She holds very high data-quality standards and pays attention to ensuring vaccinations for the underserved. Her voice is always in my head reminding me of how data quality impacts the data and, most importantly, that people are behind the data. It is about the people!
What’s your favorite dessert?
If I must choose, then chocolate molten lava cake with raspberries and whipped cream.
Is there anything new your organization is working on/toward that you would like to share?
CT IIS is investigating the feasibility of establishing a system for geocoding IIS records and creating the data flows in the IIS. We are also looking into the feasibility of utilizing a USPS service, via an authorized company, for getting updated change of mailing addresses. These would improve our data quality and analytics.
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Check out the AIRA Calendar for upcoming events!
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Stay up to date on upcoming AIRA committees, board meetings, webinars, events, and more.
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American Immunization Registry Association
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Suite 1025
Washington, DC 20006
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© Copyright 2023, American Immunization Registry Association
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