AFIX (Assessment Feedback Incentive eXchange)

Manager: Beth Miller

The Virginia Division of Immunization (DOI) mission is to reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with vaccine-preventable diseases. DOI has several programs with this mission as its ultimate goal, one of which is the AFIX program. AFIX is a quality improvement program for healthcare providers enrolled in another DOI program, Virginia’s Vaccines for Children (VVFC). The goal of AFIX is to increase vaccination of children and adolescents with all Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP)-recommended vaccines by reducing missed opportunities to vaccinate and improving immunization delivery practices at the provider level.

Assessment, Feedback, Incentives, and eXchange can be summarized as follows:

• Assessment involves generating data reports on the vaccination coverage levels of selected providers and examining the effectiveness of providers’ immunization delivery practices.
• Feedback provides an opportunity for awardees to share with each provider their Assessment results, discuss practice procedures and barriers, and collaborate to develop customized evidence-based quality improvement strategies.
• Incentives recognize accomplishments and can be powerful motivation for providers to improve vaccination coverage rates.
• eXchange is the regular follow-up with providers to monitor their progress and offer support through guidance and Incentives.

AFIX serves to assist and support healthcare providers by identifying actual immunization rates, determining opportunities for improving immunization delivery practices, and ensuring healthcare providers are:

• Aware of and knowledgeable about their immunization rates and missed opportunities to vaccinate;
• Motivated to incorporate changes into their current practices;
• Ready to try new immunization service strategies;
• Capable of sustaining improvements to their vaccination delivery services.

AFIX Site Visit Resources

 Virginia Immunization Information System (VIIS – Immunization Registry)

• Virginia Immunization Information System Quick Guide
• AFIX-IIS Product (**Coming Soon**)

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

• Healthy People 2020 National Immunization Goals
• 2017 Recommended Immunizations for Children from Birth Through 6 Years Old
• 2017 Recommended Immunizations for Children 7-18 Years Old
• Preventing Cancer Just Got Easier: 2 Dose Decision Tree
• Talking to Parents about HPV Vaccine
• Talking with Parents about Vaccines for Infants
• Standards for Adult Immunization Practice General Recommendations on Immunization

Immunization Action Coalition

• Using Standing Orders for Administering Vaccines: What You Should Know
• Immunization Clinic Resources and Materials for Health Professionals and Their Patients
• Suggestions to Improve Your Immunization Services

American Academy of Pediatrics

• Documenting Parental Refusal to Have Their Children Vaccinated
• Immunization Best Practices
• Adolescent Immunization: Strategies for Increasing Coverage Rates

Evidence-Based Practices to Improve Immunization Rates

• Standards of Pediatric & Adolescent Immunization Practice (New York State Association of County Health Officials)
• Increasing Appropriate Vaccination (The Guide to Community Preventive Services)

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To request an AFIX visit to asses your Pediatric (24-35 months) and/or Adolescent (13-17 years) population, please contact: