Physicians Share Concerns About Vaccine Delivery By Outside Sources.(Brief Article)

2001 MAY 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) --

by N.R. Saltmarsh, staff medical writer - Physicians are willing to allow non-physician providers to immunize their patients outside the office but are concerned about record keeping and missed opportunities for preventive care, according to a survey published in Preventive Medicine.

G.R. Bergus and colleagues at the University of Iowa analyzed responses to 476 mailed questionnaires, which indicated a general willingness to participate in collaborative vaccination efforts - with certain key reservations.

"Expanding non-physician participation in the administration of immunizations has been suggested as a means of increasing immunization rates," explained Bergus and coworkers. "However, there is little information about physician interest in collaborating with non-physicians to provide out-of-office immunizations."

In response to the survey of active members of the Iowa Academy of Family Physicians, 75% of physicians said they already had collaborated in such a fashion, and 95% indicated their willingness to do so in the future.

Certain hurdles, however, would have to be overcome, respondents said. Specifically, systems would have to be in place to update medical records and to ensure adequate training of non-physicians to deliver the vaccines and to recognize complications.

Survey respondents also expressed concern for the missed opportunities ...