Vaccine Champions: Sustain

The Vaccine Champion Program
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Keep up improvements

Our research shows that vaccine champion-led Announcement Approach Trainings (AAT) reach more primary care professionals than workshops led by external facilitators. This is especially true in rural clinics.

Success story

“After having the training [in the clinic], the nurses actually kind of took that training and kind of expanded it. We definitely use it for the HPV one, but they’ve even used some of that wording for the other vaccines because it’s just, the approach is a real nice one.” – Vaccine champion

Plan for Sustained Improvement

Identify resources and strategies to support lasting change.

  1. Program staff meet with champions about 1-2 weeks after AAT workshops to debrief and talk about quality improvement (QI) resources in the healthcare system using the QI Resources in the Healthcare System slide deck.
  2. Champions optionally meet with participating clinics 4-6 weeks after the AAT workshop to talk about overcoming barriers to using the Announcement Approach and ways to support changes in the clinic using the AAT Follow-up Meeting slide deck.
  3. Program staff meet with champions about 2 months after AAT workshops to talk about sustaining HPV vaccine improvement in the healthcare system using the Sustaining Improvements slide deck.
  4. Evaluate changes in HPV vaccination rates in participating clinics. At least 2-3 months after AAT workshops, healthcare systems should evaluate how HPV vaccination rates have changed since champions started their efforts. Ongoing evaluations of changes in HPV vaccination rates at longer time intervals will indicate if improvements are being sustained.
  5. Plan for future AAT workshops to train new clinical staff and refresh others on HPV vaccine communication. The best way to sustain HPV vaccine improvements is to make sure that new clinical staff learn the steps of the Announcement Approach and long-time staff refresh their skills.

Time check

Champions will need:

  • 1 hour for each sustainability meeting with project staff
  • 1 hour for each future AAT workshop to train new staff

Champions and clinical staff will need:

  • At least 30 minutes for the optional AAT follow-up meeting

Healthcare system QI leaders will need regular, ongoing, time to evaluate HPV vaccination rates to make sure improvements are sustained.

Resources

QI resources in the healthcare system slide deck

AAT follow-up meeting slide deck (optional)

Sustaining improvements slide deck

Success story

“I think at least once a year [we’ll] redo the [Announcement] Approach Training…because we have new employees coming on. Good reminder. I think…practice will just make it part of our daily routine. And it’s good to have a reminder.” – Vaccine champion

Ways to Optimize Success

Engage Different Types of Champions

Leadership buy-in from an administrative champion who can commit staff time and other organizational support, operational champions familiar with clinics’ day-to-day operations, and frontline champions with clinical experience to offer support or deliver AAT workshops are key to a project’s success.

Keep Staff Motivated

Plan activities in the late winter when flu season is winding down, engage teams of champions to allow for backup in roles, and make program activities as positive and efficient as possible to respect champions’ time and contributions.

Provide Ongoing Technical Assistance

Our vaccine champions have expressed appreciation for technical assistance, including AAT practice sessions, FAQ guides and tip sheets, and check-in meetings.

Build Collaborative Partnerships

Partnering with organizations to meet project goals and fill gaps in expertise can be crucial to success. Potential partners could be national organizations, state-wide quality collaboratives, or vaccination coalitions that have existing relationships with healthcare systems.

Explore This Program