Abstract
Immunisation registers have the capacity to capture data on the administration of vaccine doses at the individual level within the population and represent an important tool in assessing immunisation coverage and vaccine uptake. In 1999, the National Advisory Committee on Immunization recommended that a network of immunisation registers be established in Canada. The Canadian Immunization Registry Network (CIRN) was established to coordinate the development of standards and facilitate the sharing of knowledge and experience to develop a national network of such registers. In 2003, the National Immunization Strategy identified immunisation registers as an important component in improving national immunisation surveillance. In addition, there has been consistent public and professional interest in a national immunisation register being available and considerable progress has been made in developing technologies to facilitate the capture of immunisation-related data. More specifically, the automated identification of vaccines, through the use of barcodes on vaccines, will facilitate collection of data related to administered vaccine doses. Nevertheless, challenges remain in the implementation of immunisation registers in all Canadian provinces and territories such that Canada still does not currently have a fully functional network of immunisation registers with the capacity to be interoperable between jurisdictions and to allow for data to be captured at the national level.
Highlights
In Canada, several millions doses of vaccines are administered every year
According to the immunisation schedules recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), the national committee tasked with making scientific recommendations on the use of vaccines in Canada, a child will receive 18 vaccinations to protect against 13 diseases by the age of two years, and 26 vaccinations by the age of 19 years [1]
The use of scanners and barcodes on vaccine products, enhances considerably the quality and accuracy of the data captured in electronic registers by reducing the amount of time required by immunisation providers to create and maintain immunisation records and reduces the possibility of errors related to data entry
Summary
In Canada, several millions doses of vaccines are administered every year. According to the immunisation schedules recommended by the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI), the national committee tasked with making scientific recommendations on the use of vaccines in Canada, a child will receive 18 vaccinations to protect against 13 diseases by the age of two years, and 26 vaccinations by the age of 19 years [1]. Keeping the records up-to-date and ensuring comprehensive use by all providers is important to warrant accurate projections for immunisation eligibility, vaccine supply and assessment of uptake. In some settings such as in Australia, monetary incentives have been supplied to providers for entering their patient immunisation data and for using immunisation registers to monitor their patient immunisation history and background [11]. A network of immunisation registers from the jurisdictions was proposed instead of a national immunisation register due to the fact that immunisation programme delivery is a provincial/territorial mandate in Canada The goal of this resolution was to facilitate the maintenance of accurate immunisation records and the improvement of the management of vaccine supply. CIRN works with Canadian provinces and territories to develop and agree upon national standards for immunisation registers as well as immunisation coverage assessment and provides input and expertise in the development of the national immunisation coverage surveys
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