Systems Approaches and the Delivery of Health Services FREE

Robert S. Thompson, MD

[+] Author Affiliations

Reprints: Robert S. Thompson, MD, Department of Preventive Care, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, 1730 Minor Ave, Suite 1600, Seattle, WA 98101-1448.

JAMA. 1997;277(8):670-671. doi:10.1001/jama.1997.03540320072039

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ABSTRACT

ABSTRACT | REFERENCES

In this issue of THE JOURNAL, LeBaron et al₁ review a decade of work by the Georgia Department of Public Health to improve immunization levels in Georgia's public health clinics (more than 200) across the state.

The primary outcome of this very important work was a dramatic overall increase in immunization completion rates for 2-year-olds (the 4-3-1 series, where children receive 4 doses of the diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccine, 3 doses of oral poliovirus vaccine, and 1 dose of measles-mumps-rubella vaccine) over a 7-year period, from 53% in 1988 to 89% in 1994. Incremental improvement in rates progressed in a moderately steady fashion, averaging about 6% per year. In addition, process measures also improved. These included fewer missed opportunities for immunization, fewer lost contacts with the children, and fewer late initiations of immunizations.

REFERENCES

ABSTRACT | REFERENCES

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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices: programmatic strategies to increase vaccination rates: assessment and feedback of provider-based vaccination coverage information . MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep . 1996;;45:219-220.

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Statewide registry is the law in Georgia: all kids count . Q Update Immun Monitor Follow-up Systems . (Summer) 1996;;13:1-2, 12.

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Country-Specific Mortality and Growth Failure in Infancy and Yound Children and Association With Material Stature

Use interactive graphics and maps to view and sort country-specific infant and early dhildhood mortality and growth failure data and their association with maternal