There is no author summary for this article yet. Authors can add summaries to their articles on ScienceOpen to make them more accessible to a non-specialist audience.
Abstract
<p class="first" id="P1">Amid provider reports of financial barriers as an impediment
to adult immunization,
this study explores the time and costs of vaccination in adult provider practices.
Both a Vaccination Time-Motion Study and Vaccine Practice Management Survey were conducted
(March – October 2017) in a convenience sample of 19 family medicine (FM), internal
medicine (IM), and obstetrician-gynecology (OBGYN) practices, in nine states. Practices
were directly observed during a one week period; estimates were collected of time
spent on activities that could not be directly observed. Cost estimates were calculated
by converting staff time for performed activities. In the time-motion study, FM and
IM practices spent similar time conducting vaccination activities (median = 5 min
per vaccination), while OBGYN practices spent more time (median = 29 min per vaccination).
Combining results from the time-motion study and the practice management survey, the
median costs of vaccination remained similar for FM practices and IM practices at
$7 and $8 per vaccination, respectively, but was substantially higher for OBGYN practices
at $43 per vaccination. Factors that contributed to higher costs among OBGYN practices
were the increased time to counsel patients, administer vaccines, and to plan and
manage vaccine supplies. In addition, 68% of OBGYN patients who were offered and counseled
to receive vaccines declined to receive them. Counseling patients who ultimately do
not go on to receive a vaccine may be an important cost factor. Lower costs of vaccination
services may be achieved by increasing efficiencies in workflow or the volume of vaccinations.
</p>