Improving HPV Vaccination in Adolescents: A Quality Improvement Initiative

Abstract

Background: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) related cancers are preventable if vaccinated. Opportunities to administer the HPV vaccination to adolescents were being missed with a rural, primary care clinic due to lack of vaccination status assessment protocols. Methods: A missed opportunity for vaccination protocol was developed using the 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program. Baseline vaccination rate for the clinic was determined using HPV billing reports. Intervention: Staff were educated about HPV missed opportunities for vaccination for the first week of ten. Clinic Staff implemented a missed opportunity for vaccination protocol and evaluated it weekly for the remaining nine of 10 weeks. Results: The clinic achieved a 0.025% vaccination rate with implementation of the missed opportunity for vaccination protocol. This percentage was lower than the clinics baseline vaccination rate of 28.3%. This percentage was also below the Healthy People 2020 goal of 80%. Conclusion: Implementation of a missed opportunity for vaccination protocol developed using the 4 Pillars™ Practice Transformation Program was unsuccessful in helping this rural clinic achieve improved HPV vaccination rates for adolescents 9-17 years of age.