It is not acceptable clinical practice to pre-draw vaccines into syringes. Providers should draw vaccine only at the time of administration to ensure that the cold chain is maintained and the vaccine is not inappropriately exposed to light. Guidelines for vaccine preparation should be outlined in the provider’s Vaccine Management Plan. For more information go to Vaccine Preparation.
Providers are required to give patients the most current VIS before the administration of each dose of vaccine. The latest VIS can be found on the Immunization Action Coalition website and CDC website. Providers are also required to document this action in the patient’s permanent medical record.
Additionally, providers must maintain records in accordance with the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, including reporting clinically significant adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) website.
Providers are not allowed to charge eligible children for vaccines; however they can charge a vaccine administration fee. The maximum vaccine administration fee providers can charge depends on the childs VFC eligibility category.
Please note that an eligible child cannot be denied vaccine due to the inability of the child’s parent or guardian to pay the vaccine administration fee.
VFC-enrolled providers are required to document VFC/publicly funded vaccine eligibility for all children immunized at their practices. Eligibility can be documented in paper form using the Vaccine Administration Record (PDF) form or electronically in the provider’s electronic medical record.
VFC-enrolled providers are also required to report administered vaccine doses for all VFC eligible patients to the VFC Program through the City Immunization Registry (CIR). Reporting to the CIR can be done electronically (PDF) or online. When reporting administered vaccines doses to the CIR the VFC eligibility must be indicated. The following should be indicated as well:
Reported doses are used to calculate a provider’s Doses Administered Report (DAR) and findings are used to ensure that:
The NYC VFC Program sends providers their DAR report quarterly and based on report findings the following actions are taken: