POTENTIAL USE OF IMMUNIZATION REGISTRIES FOR PROVIDER EDUCATION

Background: Missed opportunities related to providers' not adhering to the Standards of Pediatric Immunization Practice are an important fac tor contributing to underimmunization of preschool children as reveale d by studies conducted in Philadelphia and Baltimore. Design: This art icle describes how registries and data base/tracking systems in Baltim ore and Philadelphia have incorporated during their development provid er reminders and feedback concerning inappropriate immunizations, miss ed opportunities, and other immunization issues into their respective preschool immunization data base/tracking systems. Conclusions: The pr eschool immunization data base/tracking systems under development in B altimore and Philadelphia will be used to remind and give feedback to health care providers concerning inappropriate immunizations and misse d opportunities to immunize, with the objective that these undesirable immunization practices will be minimized.