Making the Most of Your
15 Minutes with the Provider

As we all struggle with how to recruit physicians to join our registries, it seems part of our challenge is how to prioritize the good ideas in our arsenals. Which points should we use? Deciding which points to stress in our 15 minutes of office time and attention may get to be a bit overwhelming.

At the Vendor meeting hosted by AIRA and CIRSET after the National Immunization Registry Conference, Dr. Gil Buchanan, Pediatrician and the Medical Director of the Department of Human Services for the State of Arkansas, spoke from the physician's point of view. During his talk, Dr. Buchanan identified components of Immunization Registries, which I found really helpful in focusing my 15 minutes. As a registry recruiter, I wanted to share this with all of those who were not able to attend, hoping this will possibly help you, as it did me, to keep in mind which points to make during a recruitment call.

1. Articulate how your registry supports the concept of medical home, in promoting continuity, coordinated and family centered provision of care.
2. Entering data must be easy.
3. Giving immunizations is a money-making project. Show how the registry can help you to avoid missing shots and billing incorrectly.
4. Reminder Capabilities - this may even go beyond just immunizations to include reminders of hearing tests, etc. This is an opportunity to find out what is missing in the office and to offer a solution.
5. It is expensive for providers to manage vaccine inventories. The registry's vaccine inventory system can help them manage their inventories better and thus reduce costs.
6. Must have capability to change quickly, when new vaccines and changes in the immunization schedule occur. Registries provide this.

If any one has other "tools of the trade" that you would like to share in SnapShots please send these to kreed@phs-us.com.

(Source: Katie Reed, CNY Immunization Registry)

August 2001 SnapShots Headlines