Medical Student Ohio University Heritage College of Medicine Dublin, Ohio, United States
Background and Hypothesis: Vaccines are vital to our community because they lower the risk of developing certain diseases and safely prevent serious complications that develop from viral agents. Based on the CDC guidelines, multiple vaccinations including tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap), polio (IPV), measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR), Hepatitis B, Varicella, and Menactra are recommended by the time students reach middle school to stop the spread of these illnesses. However, some families are unable to afford these vaccinations and may not be able to follow these guidelines. (According to Public School Review, around 30% of students within this middle school are from a lower socioeconomic status and are registered to receive reduced or free lunch.)
Methods: Subsequently, a family medicine residency program created an initiative to help students at a local middle school become compliant with their required vaccination schedules. Vaccine clinics were scheduled several times per month in which the family medicine residents administered required vaccinations to students after receiving parental consent. Uninsured patients were provided with financial assistance.
Results: For the 2021-2022 school year, twelve vaccine clinic days were completed. Twenty-seven patients were seen and ninety-two vaccines were administered. Overall, the total cost without any form of insurance was over $20,000 and the total cost for self-pay was over $10,000.
Conclusion: Due to the initiative with the public school system, children were able to become compliant with the required vaccines at no cost to each patient. This initiative is intended to be a long-term project to assist the community and provide vaccinations to low-income families.
Acknowledgement of Research Study Sponsors and IRB: The individuals performing this research were those residents from the Dublin Methodist Family Medicine Residency program.
The QI determination application was approved by the OHRI and formal IRB approval was not required.
