Last updated: October 2024

Author: Immunization Program, Vermont Department of Health

Quality Improvement visits are part of the IQIP - Immunization Quality Improvement program for providers. This program was formerly known as AFIX, but changed in 2019.  Primary care providers enrolled in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program receive a site visit every 24 months to receive feedback on Immunization Registry (IMR) completeness and coverage. These site visits were paused during most of the COVID-19 pandemic. The number for 2022 is reported as of October 1, 2022.

During these visits education is provided and practices must demonstrate full compliance with the CDC program requirements which include but are not limited to provision of all CDC recommended vaccines, vaccine storage and handling and parent education. Onsite training on the use of the Vermont Immunization Registry by Health Department staff is also conducted so practices have accurate information on the immunization status of children. Visits focused on quality improvement, known as AFIX, are also offered to providers. At the visit, practice specific immunization rates are reviewed and and evidence-based strategies to increase immunization rates are selected for implementation.

Prior to 2018, this measure was calculated differently, see Notes on Methodology.

Ensuring that Vermonters have access to recommended vaccines that are safe is an important way to protect our population from preventable disease. This program is essential to assist and educate providers to make sure we can provide this important service to Vermonters. It is also important to increase immunization rates through evidence-based strategies that educate parents and lower barriers to accessing vaccines. 

This measure looks at the quality and efficiency of the Immunization Programs to measure how well the program is doing.

• Primary care providers
• Vermont Child Health Improvement Program
• National Improvement Partnership Network
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Good communication, consistent messaging and a strong working relationship between the Health Department Immunization Program and the primary care provider practices enrolled in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program.

Strengthen the educational aspects of provider site visits.

Reduce the number of staff that conduct site visits in order to ensure effective evaluation and clear messaging so that practices can meet all CDC requirements.

The reporting period for this performance measures now runs from July through the following June. The most recent data point for 2024 is for the reporting period of July 2023 to June 2024.

Prior to 2018 this was calculated as the number of visits that include feedback on practice level IMR completeness and coverage rates. Since that time all site visits include this feedback and thus the number would be 100%.

Since 2018, this is measured as the percent of practices who have received a quality improvement-focused visit during the calendar year (previously through the AFIX program, now through IQIP). Site visits are conducted every 24 months.