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At every age, vaccination is one of the simplest, safest, and most effective ways to protect one’s health. However, adult vaccination rates continue to lag those of children and infants, creating a persistent coverage gap linked to higher disease burden for older and at-risk adults. In 2022, for instance, only 22.8% of adults aged 19 and older were current on all recommended vaccines, leaving millions of adults vulnerable to vaccine-preventable illnesses such as influenza, shingles, pneumococcal disease, and COVID-19.
For healthcare providers, this gap represents an important opportunity. Vaccines provide the greatest protection to individual and public health when immunization is high, widespread, and consistent across populations. By normalizing vaccination as part of lifelong preventive care, providers can help adults stay healthier longer and reduce the broader impacts of vaccine-preventable diseases.
Practical Ways to Strengthen Adult Immunization
To help close the coverage gap, healthcare providers can implement these simple, sustainable steps:
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Make vaccination a standing agenda item. Integrate vaccine reviews into annual checkups and chronic-care visits.
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Use clear, personalized communication. Framing vaccine conversations around a patient’s overall health and preventive care goals helps make the discussion more meaningful.
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Educate your care team. When all staff members understand the latest adult vaccine recommendations and coverage details, patients can receive consistent, accurate guidance at every touchpoint.
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Track, recall, and celebrate progress. Monitor adult vaccination patterns within your practice to understand where additional outreach is needed. Friendly reminders, targeted follow-up, and celebrating improvements such as year-over-year increases in flu vaccine uptake can help motivate staff and reinforce progress toward better patient outcomes.
By incorporating these steps into everyday care conversations, providers can help turn vaccine awareness into timely and preventive action.
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Source: Atlantic Health Partners, one of TPA's Affiliate Partners, provides cost savings on vaccines from Merck, Sanofi Pasteur, GlaxoSmithKline, Pfizer and more. TPA members are eligible to receive a strong annual rebate on all vaccine purchases made through Atlantic Health Partners. Contact Kimberly Thompson at kthompson@atlantichealthpartners.com or call (800) 741-2044 for information.
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