Pharmacist-Provided Immunizations
Along with managing medication therapy and educating patients on healthy lifestyle practices, certified pharmacists can also administer critical immunizations, ensuring that any treatment received will not interfere with other therapies.
The majority of American adults are inadequately vaccinated, leading to an average of 90,000 deaths each year from vaccine-preventable infections.
As the most accessible health care providers, pharmacists can help ensure that patients are up-to-date on all their immunizations, as well as answer questions and provide necessary protection from harmful diseases.
Access Valuable Immunization Information and Resources Below
Please click on the expandable blue bars below to get started and find the resources you need to provide seasonal flu and other vaccines in your pharmacy, educate patients on immunizations, receive training to provide immunizations and more.
Immunization Education and Training
- Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery Program
Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery is an innovative and interactive training program that teaches pharmacists the skills necessary to become a primary source for vaccine information and administration. The program teaches the basics of immunology and focuses on practice implementation and legal/regulatory issues.
There are three components to the certificate training program:- 12 hour (1.2 CEU) self-study modules with case studies and assessment exam
- 8.0 hour (0.80 CEU) live seminar with final exam
- Hands-on assessment of intramuscular and subcutaneous injection technique
The goals of the certificate training program are to:- Provide comprehensive immunization education and training
- Provide pharmacists with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to establish and promote a successful immunization service
- Teach pharmacists to identify at-risk patient populations needing immunizations
- Teach pharmacists to administer immunizations in compliance with legal and regulatory standards
MPA hosts several Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery Programs throughout the year at different locations throughout the state of Michigan, as well as at our headquarters in Lansing. Please visit our events calendar to view any upcoming events, or contact MPA Executive Assistant Cynthia Rowe at (517) 377-0222 for the most up-to-date information.
For additional information about this program, developed by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), please visit the APhA Web site.
- MPA Partnership for Immunization Training
In addition, the MPA Partnership for Immunization Training offers per person discounted registration rates for companies, retail chains and/or health-systems interested in implementing pharmacist immunization training within their organization. By assuming specific responsibilities associated with implementation of an APhA Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery Program, and fulfilling minimum attendance requirements, discount amounts may be applied to registration fees. Click here for additional information!
Immunization Documentation and Procedures
- Michigan Care Improvement Registry
The MCIR was created in 1998 to collect reliable immunization information and make accessible to certain people online. MCIR benefits health care organizations, schools, licensed childcare programs, and Michigan's citizens by consolidating immunization information from multiple providers. This reduces vaccine-preventable diseases, over-vaccination, and allows providers to see up-to-date patient immunization history. MCIR also has the ability to assist with pandemic flu preparedness and can track vaccines and medications during a public health emergency.
Pharmacies are encouraged to report vaccine administration information to MCIR. This information assists MCIR in collecting reliable immunization information and making it accessible to health care providers online. For information on how to register your pharmacy/site and administrator, visit the MCIR Web site.
- Immunization Action Coalition (IAC)
The IAC offers a wide variety of documentation resources and handouts. Follow the links below to access information on their Web site.
Immunization Billing and Coverage
- 2012-2013 Question and Answer Guide to Medicare Part B, Medicaid and CHIP Coverage of Seasonal Influenza and Pneumococcal Vaccinations
This document addresses immunizers’ commonly asked questions about the administration of influenza and pneumococcal vaccines to Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP patients. It also includes questions and answers that are particularly relevant to the 2012-2013 influenza immunization season. Visit the CMS Web site to access the guide.
- Administration Rates and Coverage
This page provides general facts about adult immunization and links to other resources. For updated administration rates and resources, visit the CMS Web site. Scroll down to the ‘Downloads’ section for current reimbursement rates, an immunizer’s guide, a flu poster and more.
- Mass Immunizers and Roster Billing Fact Sheet
If you decide to become a mass immunizer, you may take advantage of roster billing, which is a streamlined process for submitting health care claims for a large group of beneficiaries for seasonal influenza and/or
pneumococcal vaccinations. Visit the CMS Web site to access a fact sheet on this type of immunization billing.
- Medicare Mass Immunization Enrollment Form
Visit the CMS Web site to access the Medicare Mass Immunization Enrollment form.
- Medicare Part B Drug Average Sales Price (ASP)
For updated fees and codes, visit the CMS Web site. Find the link on the left for the current year of ASP drug pricing files, then scroll down to the ‘Downloads’ section.
- Physician Fee Schedule Search
This Web site is designed to provide information on services covered by the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule. It provides more than 10,000 physician services, the associated relative value units, a fee schedule status indicator and various payment policy indicators needed for payment adjustment (i.e., payment of assistant at surgery, team surgery, bilateral surgery, etc.). Visit the CMS Web site for additional information.
- Quick Reference Information: Medicare Immunization Billing
For quick reference information on Medicare preventative services, including Medicare Part B Immunization Billing (Influenza, Pneumococcal, and Hepatitis B), visit the CMS Web site.
- Seasonal Influenza Vaccines Pricing
Payment allowances listed on the CMS Web site reflect the annually updated payment allowance for the listed CPT codes and Q-codes when the seasonal flu vaccines are furnished outside the hospital outpatient department.
Seasonal Flu Vaccine Information
- Standing Order Protocols
Standing orders programs authorize nurses and pharmacists to administer vaccinations according to an institution- or physician-approved protocol without a physician's exam. These programs have documented improved vaccination rates among adults. The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends standing orders for influenza and pneumococcal vaccinations. For more information, visit the CDC Web site. - Screening Forms
- 2012-2013 Influenza Vaccine Information Statements (VIS)
These VIS are specific to Michigan and include information about the use of the Michigan Care Improvement Registry to document vaccines. To access VIS in different languages, visit the MDCH Web site. - 2012-2013 Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) Recommendations
View the 2012-2013 influenza season recommendations from ACIP, including vaccine strains, considerations for children, and available products and indications.
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HealthMap Vaccine Finder
The HealthMap Vaccine Finder promotes the availability of all forms of the influenza vaccine to the public. Later this year, the Vaccine Finder will expand to cover 10 adult vaccines and help individuals locate practices that administer a wide spectrum of adult vaccines. All providers have the opportunity to enter information on their vaccine services into the database. If you already have a Vaccine Finder account, now is the time to enter your data! If you’re not registered, visit the HealthMap Web site to sign up today. If you have any questions or need assistance, please contact Vaccine@HealthMap.org.
Seasonal Flu Education and Training
- CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit
This toolkit is a comprehensive resource for providers on vaccine storage and handling recommendations and best practice strategies. The Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit is based on recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the manufacturer’s product information, and studies from the National Institute for Scientific Technology. The newly-released toolkit outlines best practice and recommendations regarding considerations for equipment that includes storage units and thermometers, strategies for maintaining the cold chain, routine storage and handling practices, inventory management and emergency procedures for protecting vaccine inventories.
Proper vaccine storage and handling practices play a very important role in protecting individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases. Vaccine quality is the shared responsibility of everyone, from the time vaccine is manufactured until it is administered. Additional information on vaccine storage and handling may be found on the CDC Web site.
Seasonal Flu Resources
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Seasonal Flu Information
The CDC offers a wide variety of seasonal flu information, including flu basics, information specific to health professionals, how to prevent the flu through vaccination, free resources, news and highlights, and more.
- Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) Seasonal Flu Information
The MDCH provides a variety of resources online that are specific to different groups of people, including health professionals, community vaccinators and employers.
- What You Should Know for the 2012-2013 Influenza Season
This page provides a variety of questions and answers to help you prepare for the current flu season
Michigan Flu Focus provides influenza surveillance updates on a weekly basis. Follow the links below to view recent updates, or visit the Michigan Department of Community Health Web site to view a complete archive of previous editions of MI Flu Focus.
2012-2013 Flu Season
2013
May | 2
January | 3 | 10 | 17 | 24 | 31
2012
FluBytes provides articles on important influenza updates, resources and additional immunization news on a weekly basis. Follow the links below to view recent updates, or visit the Michigan Department of Community Health Web site to view a complete archive of previous editions of FluBytes.
2012-2013 Flu Season
2013
May | 3
2012
May 23, 2013
Webinar
MPA is holding an Immunization Update webinar on Thursday, May 23, 2013, from 6:30-8 p.m. This course...
