Inappropriately timed immunizations: Types, causes, and their relationship to record keeping

Objectives. This study examined inappropriately timed immunizations and their relationship to record keeping practices in Los Angeles public health centers. Methods. Records of children's visits were reviewed at four public health centers maintaining separate records. Results. One third of all children seen at both immunization-only and well child clinics were given inappropriately timed immunizations. Almost half of the immunizations were not transferred between sets of records. Children seen in both clinics were more than twice as likely to receive at least one inappropriately timed immunization as those seen only at the well child clinic. Conclusions. Keeping separate immunization records at separate clinics leads to inappropriately timed immunizations.