April SnapShots: NIP and AIRA Collaborate to
Enhance Communication Among Immunization Registries
The National Immunization Program (NIP) and AIRA share a common goal - to promote immunization registry development in the United States. Immunization registry projects have made varying degrees of progress and find that they face similar challenges, including funding shortages, technical development, and privacy issues. When a registry is successful in an area and shares that experience, other registries benefit. NIP and AIRA are working together to expand these opportunities of sharing lessons learned.
Communication is critical to this collaboration, and efforts are enhanced through monthly conference calls and periodic face-to-face meetings between AIRA Board members and NIP management staff. Several information-sharing mechanisms are currently available to registries. NIP has created a list serve and established work groups with monthly conference calls to facilitate discussion of registry-related issues. AIRA also holds monthly conference calls with board members and work groups that focus on advocacy, partnerships with stakeholders, and information sharing. National conferences and workshops are sponsored to provide opportunities to educate and exchange information. Both organizations maintain websites that provide easy access to tools, data, and the latest information on registry issues and progress.
This partnership between NIP and AIRA combines experience and skills to better serve and support registries. Both NIP and AIRA welcome ideas for new avenues to strengthen the communication network among immunization registries.
Source: Karen Fowler, CDC National Immunization Program.