The most advanced of these systems send out automated reminders, have the capacity to identify under-vaccinated populations and compile precise vaccination schedules for each individual.
Reminders are accessible to both healthcare providers and recipients of vaccines. Some countries have systems that allow patients to print out their personal immunisation history and share the necessary information with other health professionals.
Increased access to information and transparency of vaccination data has the potential to improve the efficiency and coverage of immunisation services and initiate a new wave of patient empowerment, the report says.
“Immunisation information systems can be a key tool for monitoring vaccination coverage. By linking individual vaccination data with other health records, they can also facilitate evaluation of the safety and effectiveness of vaccines.
The functionality of these systems, including electronic patient records in the framework of e-Health, is developing rapidly and they can provide useful information to public health authorities, vaccine providers and vaccine recipients.”