Register today for IAC’s free workshops on using standing orders to streamline your practice and raise adult vaccination rates — Take A Stand™!

The Immunization Action Coalition (IAC), with support from Pfizer Inc., has just launched "Take a Stand™," a new national effort designed to improve adult immunization rates by increasing the use of standing orders in medical practices. (Standing orders are written protocols approved by a physician or other authorized practitioner that allow qualified healthcare professionals [who are eligible to do so under state law, such as registered nurses or pharmacists] to assess the need for vaccination and to vaccinate patients meeting certain criteria.) 

Description of workshops

The core of IAC’s project is a series of free-of-charge, interactive workshops led by national experts, including L.J Tan, MS, PhD, William Atkinson, MD, MPH, and Deborah Wexler, MD, from IAC, and Alexandra Stewart, JD, from George Washington University. Upcoming workshops will be held in Chicago, IL, Portsmouth, VA, Nashville, TN, and Little Rock, AR, with 17 additional cities through June 2016. Physicians, practice managers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and nurses in medical offices that serve adults are encouraged to attend. 

Wondering if these workshops are coming to a city near you?

Adult immunization coverage in the United States needs improvement

Adult vaccine-preventable diseases contribute to significant morbidity, mortality and cost in the United States, but adult immunization rates remain low. Strong evidence supports the use of standing orders programs to improve these rates, and their use is recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Community Preventive Services Task Force. The adoption of this important intervention, however, may be inhibited by poor understanding of the benefits of standing orders programs or the misperception that they are difficult to implement.

The workshops are designed to help clinicians and their staff easily obtain the information and training they need to overcome these perceived barriers. An additional unique feature of the training is the availability of one year of email or phone support for workshop attendees as they implement or enhance a standing orders program in their practices.

Please “take a stand” and join IAC at this unique opportunity for medical practices to improve their adult immunization rates while empowering staff and streamlining facility operations.

Workshop information

Related links

Materials in this section are updated as new information and vaccines become available. The Vaccine Education Center staff regularly reviews materials for accuracy.

You should not consider the information in this site to be specific, professional medical advice for your personal health or for your family's personal health. You should not use it to replace any relationship with a physician or other qualified healthcare professional. For medical concerns, including decisions about vaccinations, medications and other treatments, you should always consult your physician or, in serious cases, seek immediate assistance from emergency personnel.