CHILD Profile: Development of an immunization registry

CHILD (Children's Health, Immunization, Linkages, and Development) Profile began as a two-county-wide child health and immunization tracking project sponsored by Snohomish Health District and Seattle-King County Department of Public Health in Washington State. The project receives funds through the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's All Kids Count Project, Washington State Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Immunization Action Plan. Currently, CHILD Profile mails health educational materials to the parents of all children born in King and Snohomish counties since January 1, 1993, and all children born in Island and Kittitas counties since October 1, 1995, and still residing in this project area. These four counties, with an annual birth cohort of approximately 33,000, represent over 40% of Washington State's annual births. As of August 14, 1996, there were 694,691 pieces of mail that had been sent by CHILD Profile to the parents of 128,257 children aged 5 and under. In addition, CHILD Profile provides immunization tracking for participating health care providers, 27 medical organizations are contributing immunization information, and 110 clinic sites and over 400 individual providers contributed immunizations in the past 6 months. In addition, 10 medical organizations have agreed to participate but are not yet connected. The ultimate goal of CHILD Profile is to establish electronic linkages among health, educational, and social service facilities/agencies in the area, thus improving the quality and coordination of care for children and their families.