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VOLUME 5, ISSUE 3

June-July 2013

SPECIAL POINTS OF INTEREST IN THIS EDITION VFC Reminders Compliance Site Visit Reminders June- July VFC Calendars New VIS Available Immunization Updates Please read, share and post for others in your practice! To download a PDF of this newsletter, visit http://www.childrensimmunization.org/VFC For more information contact: Debra Zambrano, PHNC VFC Clinical Coordinator Colorado Immunization Program 303-692-2258 Fax: 303-691-6118 [email protected] Nicole Ortiz VFC Operations Coordinator 303-692-2334 Fax: 303-691-6118 [email protected]

2013 VFC Re-enrollment is Over! Each year VFC enrolled providers are required to renew their enrollment. This year the process took place in April with data collection, and May 1 –10 to submit all information and signatures to the VFC Program. The original close date for the process to be completed was May 10th at midnight. At that time, ~530 providers had completed the entire process. Providers that did not get all information to the VFC program were given an extended deadline of midnight May 24th to get information submitted. At this time, there are ~17 providers who still have not submitted any re-enrollment paperwork.

These providers have been notified that ordering privileges have been suspended and they have been dis-enrolled. They will need to complete the entire enrollment process over again to remain a VFC provider. If you missed the deadlines for re-enrollment please contact Nicole Ortiz at [email protected] to obtain an enrollment packet.

VFC Staff Attend Training During the last few days of April and the first few days of May the entire Vaccine Management Team traveled to Richmond, CA to attend the VFC-In-Action training conference put on by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) VFC staff. The purpose of the training was a “train the trainer” for State staff. The individuals who attended the training were Diana Herrero, Interim CIS Director, Marianne Koshak, Vaccine Program Manager, Nicole Ortiz, Interim Vaccine Manager, Deb Zambrano, VFC Clinical Coordinator, Jason Hien, Data Specialist, and Jennifer YaraZelinsky, CDC Public Health Advisor for Colorado. There were sessions on communication skills, program evaluation, problem analysis, and a full day session on changes to vaccine storage and handling practices. The staff brought back many ideas and plans to put much of what was learned into practice over the next several months. There were great opportunities to network with the VFC programs from Guam, Oregon, California, American Samoa, just to name a few. It certainly was time well spent!

Notes from VFC Operations

Things to Remember from VFC Operations **A Current Vaccine Order Form must be used each time an order is placed. Orders received on older forms will be voided and returned. (This is important because ordering is done by NDC codes, and older forms may have outdated NDC codes on them.) Order confirmations are sent via email. **A Current Vaccine Return Form must be used each time vaccines are returned to the VFC program. All returns need to be entered into VTrckS by the NDC code. **ALL VFC vaccines in the refrigerator/freezer must be reported as inventory each time a vaccine order is placed! Orders received without all inventory being reported will be returned as voided. This means all inventory must be reported, whether or not you are ordering that vaccine! VTrckS will not accept orders unless ALL inventories are reported! Report all lot #(s) and expiration date(s). Do not combine total doses for all lot #(s) reported. Each lot # should have a corresponding number of doses.

**Provider information on file in VTrckS must match the name of the individual(s) authorized to place orders in your office/clinic. The VFC Program must be notified prior to an order being placed if there has been a change in VFC contacts! Please complete a Change of Provider Information Form each time there is a change in VFC contacts. VTrckS will void an order if the individual completing the order is NOT listed in the system. **E-mail addresses must be current and accurate. Use a Change of Provider Information Form to update e-mail addresses. **MOVING? The VFC Program must be notified 30 days IN ADVANCE of the move.

Compliance Site Visits in Full Swing VFC Compliance Site Visits are conducted by staff of the Colorado Immunization Section and a number of local health department partners each year. The primary goals of the compliance site visit is to evaluate how providers are implementing the VFC program in their clinics/offices and to provide updated information about immunizations and the proper storage and handling of vaccines -- not just VFC vaccines, but all vaccines! It is a requirement of the VFC program that the Public Health Nurse (PHN) doing the visit have the ability to meet not just with the VFC Coordinator, but the Provider as well, to be able to answer any questions that might come up during the visit. The site reviewer may also ask to meet with the individual in charge of billing, the Office Manager, receptionists, or other individuals that have access to the VFC vaccines, or are responsible for screening children for VFC eligibility. A required part of the visit is a mandatory education session, and it should be attended by as many of the office staff as possible who work with the VFC program. The CDC requires that all VFC programs throughout the country visit at least 50% of their enrolled providers every year! In Colorado, this is between 250 and 300 visits every year that are done by a team of between 15 and 20 PHN’s. If you had a site visit in 2012, unless there was a reason the PHN felt that you needed another visit in 2013, you are off the hook for this year. Any provider who enrolled in 2012 will also get a visit this year, as a follow-up to make sure all is going well with your management of the VFC program. If you had a site visit in 2011, then you are on the list to have a visit this year! Fear not, you will not be missed...if you haven’t gotten a call to have your visit scheduled, you probably will before the end of this month. Just as a reminder…part of the enrollment agreement that is signed yearly by your provider states that your site will allow site visits to your clinic. Failure to comply with this part of the enrollment agreement will mean suspension of ordering privileges until the site visit is completed. The PHN’s conducting site visits also are allowed to do “drop-in” site visits in the event your clinic continually fails to contact the reviewer to schedule your visit.

ATTENTION! Sanofi Pasteur sent this memo to providers in May making them aware of the change in the color of the cap found on the IPOL vials!

Things to Remember from VFC Operations A Current Vaccine Order Form must be used each time an order is placed. Orders received on older forms will be voided and returned. (This is important because ordering is done by NDC codes, and older forms may have outdated NDC codes on them.) Order confirmations are sent via email. A Current Vaccine Return Form must be used each time vaccines are returned to the VFC program. All returns need to be entered into VTrckS by the NDC code. ALL VFC vaccines in the refrigerator/freezer must be reported as inventory each time a vaccine order is placed!!! Orders received without all inventory being reported will be returned as voided. This means all inventory must be reported, whether or not you are ordering that vaccine! VTrckS will not accept orders unless ALL inventories are reported! Report all lot #(s) and expiration date(s). Do not combine total doses for all lot #(s) reported. Each lot # should have a corresponding number of doses. Provider information on file in VTrckS must match the name of the individual(s) authorized to place orders in your office/clinic. The VFC Program must be notified prior to an order being placed if there has been a change in VFC contacts! Please complete a Change of Provider Information Form each time there is a change in VFC contacts. VTrckS will void an order if the individual completing the order is NOT listed in the system. E-mail addresses must be current and accurate. Use a Change of Provider Information Form to update e-mail addresses. MOVING? The VFC Program must be notified 30 days IN ADVANCE of the move.

ATTENTION!

McKesson Distribution Sacramento Relocating to Aurora! The VFC program wants providers to be aware that effective July 13, 2013, the CDC McKesson Sacramento distribution activity will be moved to Aurora, CO. Colorado will be shifted from the Memphis center to the Aurora center. This change will not affect the way vaccines are distributed or shipped to our Colorado providers. The only difference CO providers will notice is that the return address on the Vaccine Return labels received from McKesson will have an Aurora address rather than a Memphis return address. No other processes will be affected by this move.

New VACCINE INFORMATION STATEMENTS Available In May the CDC released two new Vaccine Information Statements. These are available for download and printing at: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/default.htm Please read the instructions and the NOTES to Providers related to the new Tdap VIS. The Tdap VIS is to be used for administration of Tdap, and the older Td/Tdap VIS should be used for administration of Td vaccines. Current copies of the HPV VIS can be used until supplies are used up and then you can switch to the new version. To sign up for email notifications when new VIS become available go to: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/pubs/vis/default.htm and click on "Get Email Updates."

Past editions of the Colorado VFC Update and all memos and correspondence that were sent via fax can be reviewed on the Colorado VFC website. Just click on the Vaccines for Children

via fax can be reviewed on the Colorado VFC website. Just click on the Vaccines for Children topic link from the navigation bar on the left side of the home page to be directed to the VFC information.

Does someone else in your practice or agency want to get the Colorado VFC Review via email? Need to update your information? Just email your name, title and practice name to Debra Zambrano at [email protected] Thank you!

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