Public Health

The Vax Corner column is written by Maria Huang, MD, one of the co-chairs of the Vaccine Committee for the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics: Whooping cough is spreading nationwide at the highest levels since 2014 with more than 19,000 cases1 so far this year. This is four times as many compared to…

From the Washington State Department of Health: The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is partnering with Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on a nationwide study to develop an evidence-based Adult Immunization Quality Improvement Provider (IQIP) program. This is an exciting opportunity to improve the vaccination rates for adult patients…

The Washington State Department of Health is accepting nominations for the 2024 Rural Health Heroes awards starting on July 10 and ending on Sept. 4. Organizations, teams, and individuals are eligible for nomination. If you’re not sure what qualifies as local, DOH recommends using RHIHub’s Am I Rural? Tool. Winners will be selected by the…

Federal law requires the provision of a VIS for each immunization before it is administered to a patient. The most current VIS must be given, but federal law allows up to 6 months for a new VIS to be used (VIS facts). Provide efficient and eco-friendly service by offering QR codes for all vaccine information…

The Washington State Department of Health and Vax Northwest (an initiative of Within Reach), in collaboration with the Washington Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, have created a reminder/recall letter template that clinics and physicians can use for immunizations and well child visits. The template comes with messages in 11 languages (English, Spanish, Arabic,…

Our colleagues at the Washington State Department of Health remind you to promote viral hepatitis testing, vaccination, and treatment with your patients. The following resources are curated by DOH for you and your patients: Visit the DOH’s provider information webpage for more details. If you have questions or need support, please contact them at hepatitis@doh.wa.gov.

The Washington State Department of Health has announced that its masking directive for health care, long-term care, and adult correctional facilities for people ages 5 and up will end April 3. DOH will continue to recommend masking, though local or tribal governments, facilities, or clinicians may choose to continue requiring masks. The State of Oregon…

The Washington State Department of Health is urging family physicians and pediatricians to increase their testing on blood lead levels (BLL) in children. While DOH notes testing has increased over the past decade, Washington is still well behind the nation in testing rates (4.2 percent vs. a 17.6 percent national average). The emphasis comes in…