MIIC News Flash - May 2019

MDH logo for the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC)

MIIC News Flash

Pictures of medical professionals using computer and vaccinating

View this as a webpage

May 21, 2019

Summer tips from MIIC

As the summer sun finally starts peeking out from behind the clouds and you excitedly pack for the cabin, don't forget these summer tips from the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC)

  • Keep your account active by logging in at least once every 60 days. Many users set reminders on their phones or computers to make sure their MIIC account stays active even when they're not using it regularly.
  • Make sure your browser is set up to best support your MIIC use. MIIC is most compatible with Internet Explorer versions 9 or earlier. Check out the MIIC 101: Compatibility View Mode Procedure resource for help with browser compatibility.
  • Consider setting up an electronic connection with MIIC. If your organization doesn't electronically exchange data between your electronic health record (EHR) system and MIIC, view the Process for Working on Data Exchange with MIIC to get started this summer!

MIIC application changes

Ability to manually invalidate vaccinations

We recently added the ability to manually indicate that a vaccination is not valid in MIIC. This feature helps MIIC better accommodate for several scenarios, like when a dose was:

  • Administered from a recalled lot.
  • Expired.
  • Improperly stored or handled.
  • Administered to an incorrect body site.
  • Given with an incorrect diluent.

Marking a dose as invalid in these scenarios allows MIIC to maintain an accurate picture of what the patient received while also accurately forecasting doses they need. Contact the MIIC Help Desk or your MIIC regional coordinator if you have any questions or need to use this feature.


MIIC data and statistics

Interactive adolescent immunization data now available

Check out the new adolescent immunization data available on the Minnesota Public Health Data Access Portal! This is the first time we have published on-time adolescent series completion rates from MIIC. The series includes Tdap, MenACWY, and HPV series completion by age 13 years. This aligns with quality metrics that health plans and health systems report, such as the HEDIS Combo 2 measure and Minnesota Community Measurement. The data also include rates for the MenACWY booster dose and MenB series initiation by age 19 years.

Explore the state, county, and metro ZIP code-level data with interactive maps and charts in the portal's Immunizations section! We will update the data annually so you can stay up to date on Minnesota's adolescent immunization trends.


Featured MIIC participant

Staff at Scenic Rivers Clinics (East) – Cook, Tower, Floodwood

Scenic Rivers Clinics (East) – Cook, Tower, Floodwood

Nursing Supervisor Pam Rengo and Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) Jess Maki of Scenic Rivers Clinics (East) were concerned about the vaccine misinformation they heard in their community. They and their colleagues (some pictured at right) knew this information did not match their science-based training. They were looking for a way to move forward with promoting vaccination, especially the cancer preventing HPV vaccine.

Ms. Rengo then learned about an MDH and Minnesota Academy of Family Physicians (MAFP) program that involved a family physician providing training on how to give a strong recommendation for HPV and other adolescent vaccines. This visit-based program also included a discussion of immunization rates from MIIC and review of the MIIC tools available to help improve clinic rates. Ms. Rengo thought this program would help the clinics create a plan for vaccination improvement and get everyone the information they needed to communicate about the importance of adolescent vaccines. 

Scenic Rivers Clinics (East) participated in the program and came out ready to answer patient questions on adolescent vaccines and speak to how important they are for cancer and infectious disease prevention. “We had these ideas of what to do in our heads, but this visit helped us organize a plan,” said Ms. Rengo. They also built skills for using MIIC to support their efforts. "We learned how to better pull lists of patients who needed HPV vaccinations, so we knew who our high priority patients were," Ms. Maki commented. Great work, Scenic Rivers!

To learn more about this program, email health.AFIX.mailbox@state.mn.us


Upcoming MIIC programming

AFIX becomes IQIP

Immunization quality improvement programming is getting a fresh start! On July 1, 2019, the CDC’s Assessment, Feedback, Incentive, and information eXchange (AFIX) program will be replaced by a new initiative called the Immunization Quality Improvement Program (IQIP). Like AFIX, IQIP is focused on improving clinic immunization rates through a site visit approach that includes quality improvement capacity building, MIIC training, and resource sharing. The new program will involve more process improvement discussion and activity customization to help ensure the programming meets your clinic's needs. Questions about IQIP? Email health.AFIX.mailbox@state.mn.us

Statewide immunization reminder campaigns

We are working on two immunization reminder postcard campaigns that will go out in June 2019 to help raise immunization rates across the state:

  • A meningococcal booster-focused postcard campaign will reach parents of 16-year-olds who have received an initial dose of MenACWY but no booster according to MIIC. The messaging focuses on the booster but also includes information about adolescent catch-up vaccines and MenB.
  • A pneumococcal-focused postcard campaign will reach 65-year-olds who have not received a pneumococcal vaccine since turning 65 according to MIIC. The messaging focuses on pneumococcal but also includes information about other adult vaccines.

These are our first statewide immunization reminder campaigns targeting older adolescents and adults. We are excited to use this evidence-based approach to help more Minnesotans get the vaccines they need!


Upcoming MIIC exhibit

Connect with MIIC staff exhibiting at this upcoming conference: 

  • Minnesota Rural Health Conference, Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center (DECC), June 17-18, 2019. The primary audience for this conference is Minnesota health care providers in rural settings.

Need help?