Idaho Debuts Immunization Tracking System

William Welsh, Staff Writer


SEPT. 21 ? Idaho Gov. Dirk Kempthorne (R) this week unveiled an automated system designed to track children's immunization.


Scientific Technologies Corp., of Tucson, Ariz., in January started working on the two-year, $1.2 million contract to build the Immunization Reminder Information System for the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare.

The system uses software developed by Oracle Corp. of Redwood Shores, Calif.


IRIS allows parents to voluntarily enter their children's names and immunization history in a secure database accessible only to family doctors, hospitals and health districts, according to the governor's office. The database issues reminders for immunization to parents and health care providers.


Kempthorne announced the start of the system in a series of press conferences in Idaho's seven health districts.


As one of his "Generation of the Child" initiatives, Kempthorne wants the immunization rate of two-year-old children raised from 70 percent to 90 percent.


During the first phase of the project, completed Aug. 18, data was transferred from the health districts to the central registry, according to Bill Baird, IRIS project manager. During the second phase, which will take at least another year to complete, the department will recruit doctors and hospitals to transfer their immunization information to the state registry either through technology installed onsite or through the Web.


Eventually, access will be extended to schools and day care providers, he said.


STC is constructing or has completed similar systems for Arizona, West Virginia and Wyoming, said Terry Hughes, director of STC's health division. STC also has provided components of the reminder system to six other states, Hughes said.


STC, which has five offices throughout the country and 35 employees, provides systems integration and networking services to state and local governments.