EVALUATING THE ACCURACY OF TRANSCRIBED COMPUTER-STORED IMMUNIZATION DATA

Objective. To evaluate the accuracy of immunization records transcribe d into a computer-based immunization tracking system and to assess fac tors that contribute to inaccurate or incomplete immunization record k eeping. Design. Computer-stored immunization records were analyzed for 2098 children up to 2 years of age at the time of their most recent w ell-child visit to the UCLA Children's Health Center over a 12-month p eriod. For children whose immunizations were not up to date, the compu ter-stored records were analyzed for sources of inaccuracy by comparis on with the handwritten records from which the computer-stored data we re transcribed. Results. An underimmunization rate of 22.5% (472 of 20 98) was observed based on analysis of the computer-stored records. Com parison of the computer-stored and handwritten records revealed an ove rall transcription error rate of at least 10.2%. In addition, 38.4% of these apparently underimmunized children had received unrecorded immu nizations from providers outside UCLA. When transcription errors were corrected and other available sources of immunization data were taken into account, the estimated rate of underimmunization decreased from 2 2.5% to 10.9%. Conclusion. Unavoidable inaccuracies can diminish the u tility of the data recorded in an immunization tracking system. Some i naccuracies are related to the process of transcription, but failures to record and communicate immunization data consistently also contribu te to the inaccuracy of computer-stored immunization records.