Mission
To support healthcare professionals in delivering high-quality pediatric and adult immunization services through continuous quality improvement. We aim to equip providers with the tools, data, and best practices needed to increase vaccine confidence, improve coverage rates, and reduce disparities. By working together, we can ensure timely, equitable vaccination across the lifespan and protect our communities from vaccine-preventable diseases.
What we do
The Office of Immunization offers both Pediatric and Adult Immunization Quality Improvement Programs for healthcare professionals enrolled in Rhode Island’s State-Supplied Vaccine (SSV) Program.
Why participate?
Healthcare professionals play a vital role in keeping Rhode Island healthy through immunizations. Increasing uptake of recommended vaccines helps to protect people from serious illness, hospitalization, and death from vaccine-preventable diseases. Healthcare professionals can play a significant role in increasing vaccine confidence and improving immunization coverage rates. Participation in a Quality Improvement Program helps you:
- Identify potential gaps within existing immunization workflows and develop tailored strategies for improvement
- Improve vaccine rates amongst your patient population
- Receive actionable data to inform practice-wide vaccine coverage improvements and timely summary reports to track cycle milestones
- Earn a Certification of Completion from RIDOH
Provider participation
Our Quality Improvement Programs aim to minimize provider burden while implementing manageable changes to improve immunization rates. All tracking, reporting, data collection, and documentation are handled by RIDOH staff.
Provider contributions
- Attend a 1-2 hour kickoff meeting at the start of the cycle, reviewing baseline immunization coverage rates and identifying strategies to increase vaccine coverage rates at your practice with the guidance of RIDOH staff
- Review insights and strategy implementation at brief 2- and 6-month check-ins
- Apply provider-identified action items with support from RIDOH staff
Immunization Quality Improvement for Providers Program (Pediatric)
The Immunization Quality Improvement for Providers (IQIP) program is a CDC-developed, Rhode Island Department of Health-led initiative that partners with healthcare professionals to improve immunization coverage through data-driven quality improvement strategies. Participation provides technical assistance to help enhance your team’s workflows, reduce missed immunization opportunities, and increase vaccination rates for your targeted patient cohorts.
IQIP is a 12-month process where the IQIP Specialist works together with SSV providers and their staff to identify strategies to increase vaccine uptake. There are 4 visits over a 12-month program cycle.
Site Visit
- Pre-visit preparation
- Assess provider vaccination workflow
- Review assessment reports and set coverage goals
- Discuss/select QI strategies and provide technical assistance
- Establish action items for the strategy implementation plan
- Enter data into IQIP database
2-Month Check-In
- Prepare by reviewing synopsis and notes from site visit
- Review strategy implementation plan and discuss implementation status
- Identify barriers and provider technical assistance
- Establish new action items for updated strategy implementation plan, if necessary
- Enter data into IQIP database
6-Month Check-In
- Prepare by reviewing synopsis and notes from 2-month check-in
- Review strategy implementation plan and discuss implementation status
- Identify barriers and provide technical assistance
- Establish new action items for updated strategy implementation plan, if necessary
- Enter data into IQIP database
12-Month Follow-Up
- Prepare by reviewing synopsis and notes from 6-month check-in
- Review strategy implementation plan and discuss implementation status
- Identify barriers and provide technical assistance
- Establish new action items for final strategy implementation plan, if necessary
- Review coverage and discuss year-over-year changes
- Enter data into IQIP database
- Send provider high-level summary, including selected strategies, coverage levels, and any ongoing action items
Click here to download a printable version of this IQIP process.
This year, IQIP is prioritizing improvement in:
- MMR Vaccine Coverage: due to statewide concerns, shifts in cultural perceptions about vaccines, and identified low-coverage municipalities, RIDOH is closely monitoring MMR immunization rates.
- Timely Hepatitis B birth dose administration at birthing hospitals
Providers that complete the IQIP Cycle can expect to receive the following:
- Initial Coverage and Workflow Report: a baseline snapshot of your practice’s current practices and immunization coverage rates
- 6-Month Progress Update: tracking coverage rate changes, adjusting action items as needed
- Final Comprehensive Report: full 12-month review with measurable outcomes of strategies employed
- Official Certification of Completion: an accolade that recognizes your practice’s commitment to improved immunization rates, fortified community health, and enhanced patient care.
Let's Partner
We are very excited to support your practice in improving vaccine coverage and protecting Rhode Island’s families.
Ready to schedule your initial visit?
Contact: Ryleigh Mullens, RIDOH IQIP Specialist, Ryleigh.Mullens@health.ri.gov 401-222-4602
Adult Immunization Quality Improvement for Providers Program
The Adult Immunization Quality Improvement for Providers (AQIP) program is an initiative that partners with healthcare professionals to improve adult immunization coverage rates by increasing implementation of the Standards for Adult Immunization Practice within individual healthcare practices and facilities. Modeled on the Immunization Quality Improvement for Providers (IQIP) Program, the AQIP program reviews your end-to-end immunization workflows and identifies tailored strategies to improve patients’ vaccine confidence and reduce missed opportunities for vaccination.
AQIP is a 12-month process where the Adult Immunization Coordinator works together with SSV providers and their staff to identify strategies to increase vaccine uptake. There are 4 visits over a 12-month program cycle.
Site Visit
- Pre-visit preparation
- Assess provider vaccination workflow
- Review assessment reports and set coverage goals
- Discuss/select QI strategies and provide technical assistance
- Establish action items for the strategy implementation plan
- Enter data into IQIP database
2-Month Check-In
- Prepare by reviewing synopsis and notes from site visit
- Review strategy implementation plan and discuss implementation status
- Identify barriers and provider technical assistance
- Establish new action items for updated strategy implementation plan, if necessary
- Enter data into IQIP database
6-month Check-In
- Prepare by reviewing synopsis and notes from 2-month check-in
- Review strategy implementation plan and discuss implementation status
- Identify barriers and provider technical assistance
- Establish new action items for updated strategy implementation plan, if necessary
- Enter data in IQIP database
Click here to download a printable version of this AQIP process.
This year, AQIP is prioritizing enrollment of nursing homes/long-term care facilities. The previous enrollment cycle included primary care and specialist outpatient practices. Enrollment is open to any healthcare setting serving adult patients.
Providers that complete the AQIP Cycle can expect to receive the following:
- Visit Summary Reports: an overview of workflow reviews, technical assistance provided, baseline and follow-up data, and action items will be provided following each program visit.
- Official Certification of Completion: a document to recognize your practice’s commitment to improving immunization rates to enhance both individual patient care and the community’s health.
Let's Partner
We are very excited to support your practice in improving vaccine coverage and protecting Rhode Islanders.
Ready to schedule your initial visit? Have questions about the program?
Contact: Margaret Sireci, MPH, RIDOH Adult Immunization Coordinator, Margaret.Sireci@health.ri.gov 401-222-6418