Using an Online Vaccination Registry to Confirm Tetanus Status in Children with Tetanus-prone Wounds

Introduction:  Tetanus vaccination status is an important consideration for emergency physicians managing patients with tetanus-prone wounds. Physicians must identify at-risk patients, but vaccination histories are often unknown and commonly lack documentation. The study objective was to determine the potential impact of an online immunization registry (Florida SHOTS – State Health Online Tracking System) on the appropriate administration of tetanus prophylaxis for pediatric patients managed in the emergency department (ED).Methods:  We conducted a retrospective review of all patients less than 18 years old who received ED tetanus prophylaxis at two separate sites between January 2011–May 2015. The Florida SHOTS database was accessed to determine vaccination status for each patient in the study group at the time of the encou nter. We compared vaccination status for each patient, as documented in the electronic health record (EHR), with...
Source: Western Journal of Emergency Medicine - Category: Emergency Medicine Source Type: research