Improving influenza vaccination performance in an HMO setting: the use of computer-generated reminders and peer comparison feedback

• HIT Description: Computerized reminders. More info...
  
• Purpose of Study: Assess the effectiveness of computer-generated reminders and peer comparison feedback for improving influenza immunization performance.
  
• Years of study: 1983-1987
  
• Study Design: Pre-Post
  
• Outcomes: Impact on health care effectivness/quality
  

• Settings: A health maintenance organization in the Boston area, Massachusetts. A group of members older than age 65, a high-risk group under age 65, and a group of diabetic members who had not been subject to the reminders (compared to a group who had been covered by the program) participated in the study.
• Intervention: The prevention program included a postcard reminder to members at high risk for complications of influenza, a computer-generated reminder to the physician at the time of any primary care visit by high-risk patients, performance feedback to chiefs of service, and, retrospective feedback to each physician comparing his/her performance with that of the other physicians.
• Evaluation Method: Measure of influenza immunization rates during the 1984-1987 flu seasons
• Quality of Care and Patient Safety Outcome: A significant increase in vaccination rates was not achieved until physician feedback was added to the program during the third flu season. Vaccination rates were increased in those diabetic members who received reminders (55.9% compared to 27% in the no-reminder group).