Use of an Electronic Medical Record in the Primary Care Setting to Improve Herpes Zoster Vaccination Rates

Overview

Despite the significant benefits of herpes zoster vaccine (HZV), vaccination rates remain low. Electronic medical records (EMR) can serve as a practical strategy to better facilitate the application of preventative health care, such as increasing immunization rates. A new care model that can increase the herpes zoster vaccination rate, as well as other preventative health services, is warranted. The objective of this study is to investigate if the functions of an EMR, in combination with a pharmacist as part of the care team, can improve the herpes zoster vaccination rate.

Full Title of Study: “Use of an Electronic Medical Record to Improve Standard Practice in the Primary Care Setting: A Randomized-Controlled Study of Herpes Zoster Vaccination Rates”

Study Type

  • Study Type: Interventional
  • Study Design
    • Allocation: Randomized
    • Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
    • Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
    • Masking: None (Open Label)
  • Study Primary Completion Date: December 2011

Interventions

  • Other: An informational packet regarding shingles and the HZV was sent to patients identified by the EMR
    • The EMR generated a list of patients aged 60 or older without HZV documentation. Patients were categorized into two subgroups based on activated electronic patient portal (EPP) status. Randomized patients from each subgroup received an informational packet regarding shingles and the HZV by either the EMR or USPS mail, depending on EPP status. A pharmacist reviewed the medical chart of interested patients to assess if the HZV was clinically indicated; eligible patients were mailed a HZV prescription.

Arms, Groups and Cohorts

  • Experimental: An informational packet regarding shingles and the HZV
  • No Intervention: Standard medical care from their primary care physician

Clinical Trial Outcome Measures

Primary Measures

  • Number of Participants Who Received the Herpes Zoster Vaccine
    • Time Frame: 6 months
    • Six months after the intervention, a second EMR report was generated to determine the change in vaccination rate of both the intervention and control groups.

Secondary Measures

  • Difference in Vaccination Rates Between Patients Who Recieved a Mailed Letter Versus a Secure Email
    • Time Frame: 6 months
    • Difference in vaccination rates between patients sent communications via US postal service (USPS) and those sent communications via electronic patient portal (EPP)
  • Amount of Time Required by a Clinical Pharmacist to Manage This Workflow
    • Time Frame: 6 months

Participating in This Clinical Trial

Inclusion Criteria

  • Greater than 60 years of age Exclusion Criteria:

  • Documented herpes zoster vaccine in the EMR

Gender Eligibility: All

Minimum Age: 60 Years

Maximum Age: N/A

Are Healthy Volunteers Accepted: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Investigator Details

  • Lead Sponsor
    • Ohio State University
  • Provider of Information About this Clinical Study
    • Principal Investigator: Stuart Beatty, Assistant Professor – Ohio State University
  • Overall Official(s)
    • Stuart J Beatty, PharmD, Principal Investigator, Ohio State University
    • Shelley H Otsuka, PharmD, Study Chair, The Ohio State Univeristy
    • Neeraj H Tayal, MD, Study Chair, Ohio State University
    • Kyle Porter, MAS, Study Chair, Ohio State University
    • Peter J Embi, MD, MS, Study Chair, Ohio State University

Clinical trials entries are delivered from the US National Institutes of Health and are not reviewed separately by this site. Please see the identifier information above for retrieving further details from the government database.

At TrialBulletin.com, we keep tabs on over 200,000 clinical trials in the US and abroad, using medical data supplied directly by the US National Institutes of Health. Please see the About and Contact page for details.