Using Rapid-Cycle Change to Improve COVID-19 Vaccination Strategy in Primary Care

Lindsay S. Hunt, Erin E. Sullivan (), Jordan Susa, Roger Chaufournier, Claudine Joseph, Russell S. Phillips and Kirsten Meisinger
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Lindsay S. Hunt: Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, Dallas, TX 75214, USA
Erin E. Sullivan: Sawyer Business School, Suffolk University, Boston, MA 02108, USA
Jordan Susa: Sawyer Business School, Suffolk University, Boston, MA 02108, USA
Roger Chaufournier: Center for Primary Care, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Claudine Joseph: Diversity by Doing HealthTech, Mountain View, CA 94040, USA
Russell S. Phillips: Center for Primary Care, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
Kirsten Meisinger: Center for Primary Care, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA

IJERPH, 2023, vol. 20, issue 4, 1-9

Abstract: During the COVID-19 pandemic, misinformation and distrust exacerbated disparities in vaccination rates by race and ethnicity throughout the United States. Primary care, public health systems, and community health centers have shifted their vaccination outreach strategies toward these disparate, unvaccinated populations. To support primary care, we developed the SAVE Sprint model for implementing rapid-cycle change to improve vaccination rates by overcoming community outreach barriers and workforce limitations. Participants were recruited for the 10-week SAVE Sprint program through partnerships with the National Association of Community Health Centers (NACHC) and the Resilient American Communities (RAC) Initiative. The majority of the participants were from community health centers. Data were evaluated during the program through progress reports and surveys, and interviews conducted three months post-intervention were recorded, coded, and analyzed. The SAVE Sprint model of rapid-cycle change exceeded participants’ expectations and led to improvements in patient education and vaccination among their vulnerable populations. Participants reported building new skills and identifying strategies for targeting specific populations during a public health emergency. However, participants reported that planning for rapid-pace change and trust-building with community partners prior to a health care crisis is preferable and would make navigating an emergency easier.

Keywords: COVID-19; vaccination; primary care; rapid change (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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