Be Wise can help you:
- Implement or enhance vaccination practices in your office with our vaccination toolkits and continuing medical education courses;
- Educate about vaccines in your office, in the media, or at public gatherings such as parent-teacher associations and civic organizations;
- Host a low-cost/free vaccination clinic after hours or on the weekend;
- Understand health care worker vaccination requirements and promote vaccinations among your employees; and
- Keep up with the latest vaccine news.
Local Impact Grants for Vaccination Events
Local
Impact Grants of up to $2,500 are available to TMA member-physician practices/clinics, county medical societies (CMSs), TMA Alliance chapters, and medical student chapters. Grants can fund new or expanded shot clinics, or coalition activity to vaccinate underserved and uninsured children, adolescents, and/or
adults with any recommended vaccination. Grant
proposals are due March 1, June 1, and Nov. 1.
Patient Education Materials
Check out the Be Wise patient education materials for placement in your waiting and exam rooms. All materials are in English and Spanish (PDF):
Letters to the Editor: Respond to articles in the news about vaccinations or use them to educate the public during key vaccination times (National Immunization Awareness Month in August or National Infant Immunization Week in April).
Be Wise – Immunize Survey
Two recent surveys show TMA members are eager for more ways to get involved in personal vaccination outreach, and TMA’s Be Wise – Immunize is answering the call. The program recently underwent a reevaluation, and TMA plans to expand program offerings in the coming months to help you support and promote vaccinations in your community. The survey report provides more details of the findings and proposed changes.
Vaccine Exemptions in Texas
Texas is one of 19 states that allow exemptions to vaccines required for school children because of medical contraindications and reasons of conscience. To assist you in talking with your patients, TMA’s Committee on Child and Adolescent Health and Committee on Infectious Diseases have prepared this resource for physicians about vaccine exemptions in Texas that includes Texas student conscientious exemption data and medical contraindications and precautions. TMA’s policy opposes conscientious objections to required vaccinations.
Health Care Worker Vaccination
TMA worked closely with the Texas Pediatric Society, and the Texas Nurses Association, and the Texas Hospital Association to support state legislation that requires health care facilities licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services to have a vaccination policy. The policy must outline vaccination requirements for each employee or anyone who comes into contact with patients in their facility, including physicians, volunteers, or others who are not directly employed by a facility. TMA has tools to help you comply.
TMA Encourages Flu Shots for Health Care Workers
Your vaccination policy will require health care workers to get immunized for the flu to protect their patients, themselves, and their families. Help spread the message by displaying this poster in hospital employee break rooms, physicians’ offices, and other places where health care workers and staff gather. To order, contact TMA’s outreach coordinator or call (512) 370-1470.
Additional Vaccination Resources
ImmTrac
ImmTrac2 is a free,
confidential immunization registry developed by the Texas Department of State
Health Services (DSHS)
to maintain immunization records. ImmTrac consolidates immunization records
from multiple sources and stores patient vaccination information electronically
in one central, secure system. In addition, ImmTrac offers online access to
patients’ vaccination history.
Texas
Vaccines for Children
Texas Vaccines for Children
(TVFC) is Texas’ version of the federal Vaccines For Children Program. TVFC was
initiated by the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993 that guaranteed
vaccines would be available at no cost to physicians and other health care
professionals to vaccinate children (birth-18 years of age) who meet the
eligibility requirements. By enrolling in TVFC, physicians can provide
vaccinations to patients as part of a comprehensive care package and enhance
the opportunity for patients to find a medical home.
Adult Safety
Net Program
The Adult Safety Net (ASN) Program supplies vaccine at no cost to
enrolled providers. By enrolling in ASN, physicians can provide vaccinations
to patients as part of a comprehensive care package and enhance the opportunity
for patients to have a medical home. DSHS created the ASN to increase access to
vaccination services in Texas for uninsured adults. It provides most
vaccinations recommended for adults.
Texas
Vaccination Requirements
The
Texas Minimum State Vaccine Requirements for Students K-12 outline vaccinations needed for school. Texas law allows for conscientious exemption from vaccinations. To claim an exemption, a student's parent or legal
guardian must request, sign, and submit an official DSHS affidavit form to the
child's school.
Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting System
The
Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) is a national vaccine safety surveillance program
cosponsored by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and
Drug Administration. These agencies use the information VAERS collects and
analyzes about vaccine-reportable events to ensure safe vaccine use and reduce
the rare risk associated with some vaccines.
Want to get involved with Be Wise — Immunize or need more information? Email TMA’s outreach coordinator or call (512) 370-1470. Or contact her to sign up for TMA Giving Back, a monthly e-newsletter that keeps you up to date on TMA’s outreach programs.
Be Wise — Immunize main page