The Health Federation of Philadelphia (HFP) is offering training sessions for medical and nursing providers on adult immunization guidelines and recommendations. Each training session will consist of a free one hour class delivered directly to clinical sites and providers. Continuing Medical Education (CME) and nursing credits will be available for each class.
The training series is part of the Philadelphia Department of Public Health’s (PDPH) Adult Immunization Project, an initiative to increase immunization rates for influenza, pneumococcal pneumonia, hepatitis B and zoster (shingles) vaccines in the City’s older adult (50+) population. This training is designed to equip providers with knowledge and tools to engage with patients about the importance and accessibility of adult-targeted vaccines.
HFP staff members Debra D’Alessandro (director of public health training & technical assistance) and Lane Taylor (training specialist) are coordinating the educational component of the project. “The Adult Immunization project helps us improve access to quality care,” said D’Alessandro. “These vaccines can protect patients from serious preventable illnesses. Our ultimate goal is to make sure that people have access to them.”
The Adult Immunization Project also aims to increase the use of the KIDS Plus IIS vaccine registry, which has been expanded to include adult patient data. The registry makes vaccine records accessible to new providers when adults visit specialists or change primary care physicians.
Another aspect of the project is to involve relevant stakeholders in the senior services, medical and public health communities. As part of this effort, HFP is helping to coordinate and organize community gatherings that will focus on peer group and community member vaccine education.
The Adult Immunization Project is funded by a one million dollar grant from the United States Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which was awarded to PDPH.
For information about scheduling an adult immunization training session, please email or call Lane Taylor via email or telephone (215) 246-5212.
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