Providers' perceptions of an immunization registry

Objective: To determine providers' perceptions of a statewide immunization registry. Design: Mail survey. Setting: King County, Washington. Methods: A random sample of 700 pediatricians, family physicians, and RN/NP s were surveyed. In addition to their perceptions of registries, respondent s reported their immunization procedures in the absence of immunization his tories. Results: Of 544 eligible participants, 344 returned surveys (63% response r ate). Seventy-seven percent of RN/NPs, 60% of pediatricians and 47% of fami ly physicians (p < 0.001) responded that they thought that electronic immun ization registries represented the "best chance to solve the lack of docume ntation problem." Fifty-seven percent of RN/NPs, 61% of pediatricians, and 43% of family physicians reported that the incompleteness of registry data presented a barrier to their using one (p < 0.01). Fewer than 14% of all sp ecialties had concerns about potential compromises of patient confidentiali ty as a result of registries, although RN/NPs were more concerned about thi s possibility than both pediatricians and family physicians (p = 0.02). In a multivariate analysis, pediatricians were 43% less likely (p = 0.15) and family physicians were 73% less likely (p < 0.01) than RN/NPs to think regi stries are the solution to the lack of documentation problem, Familiarity w ith the existing registry was associated with a significant decrease in the likelihood of thinking that registries are the solution (OR .49 [.26-.90]) and an increase in the likelihood of thinking that registries will take a long time to become of practical value (OR 2.21 [1.09-4.29]), Conclusions: Specialties differ with respect to their opinions regarding th e promise immunization registries hold. Immunization registries appear to b e well regarded in theory but may disappoint in practice. Incompleteness of immunization data may be the largest obstacle for registries to overcome.