Published On: May 24, 2018358 words2.1 min readCategories: ArticleTags: ,

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NACDS Senior Director of Research Programs Sara Roszak at the 48th National Immunization Conference in Atlanta.

NACDS and its three Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Immunization Grant sub-awardees presented their final demonstration project results at the 48th National Immunization Conference (NIC) in Atlanta last week. The demonstration projects were supported by Grant Federal Award Identification Number, IH23IP000985, for $800,000 funded by the CDC. NACDS contributed an additional $300,000 to execute the demonstration projects. A total of $1.1 million will be used to complete CDC project work, with 73 percent from the CDC and 27 percent from NACDS. The demonstration projects examined innovative healthcare collaborations designed to demonstrate increased rates of pharmacy-based immunizations. The grant also focuses on improving pandemic planning among pharmacies.

The NIC brings together more than 1,500 local, state, federal, and private-sector immunization stakeholders and partners to explore science, policy, education, and planning issues related to immunization and vaccine-preventable diseases.

In addition, NACDS’ sub-awardee, the University of Washington, was honored at the conference as a national recipient of the National Adult and Influenza Immunization Summit (NAIIS) “Immunization Neighborhood” Adult Immunization Champion award for their collaboration entitled “Project VACCINATE.” Possibly the largest partnership effort to improve adult immunization care in Washington State, Project VACCINATE created a real-world immunization neighborhood across western Washington communities through effective collaboration, coordination, and communication among key stakeholders, including patients.

The project brought together the University of Washington School of Pharmacy (UWSOP) and other stakeholders, including NACDS member company Bartell Drugs, to implement innovative methods for improving adult immunization care in 70 community pharmacies. In one year, Project VACCINATE successfully led to a 14 percent increase in the number of influenza, pneumococcal, herpes zoster, and pertussis vaccinations provided to adults aged 18 years and older.

NACDS will host a wrap-up symposium in September 2018 to share findings across NACDS’ CDC Immunization Grant, including efforts for sub-awards and to find ways to effectively integrate pharmacy-based immunization into practice more broadly.

NACDS was pleased to work with all of the sub-grantees, which also included the University of Pittsburgh and Giant Eagle locations in Pennsylvania; and the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Hy-Vee pharmacies in Iowa and Nebraska, and two accountable care organizations.