Phreesia and American Academy of Pediatrics Join in Campaign to Increase Childhood MMR Vaccination
Collaboration aims to boost vaccination as coverage rates remain below pre-pandemic levels
Phreesia, a leader in patient intake, outreach and activation, and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), an organization of 67,000 pediatricians, have joined forces to increase measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization by reaching parents and caregivers of eligible or soon-to-be eligible children at the point of care. The collaboration comes as immunization rates have dipped in some communities, pointing to a need to improve access to the vaccines that can help keep children healthy.
Through a joint campaign that will run on Phreesia's digital intake platform, the organizations will engage caregivers of children between the ages of 9 months and 6 years who have either not started or started but not completed the MMR vaccination series. Educational content, developed by Phreesia's in-house creative team, will highlight AAP recommendations for MMR immunization and the importance of protecting children from disease.
"At Phreesia, we've seen firsthand the power of reaching patients and caregivers with relevant, credible vaccine information at key moments in their care journey," said Phreesia's SVP of Life Sciences, David Linetsky. "We're proud to partner with the AAP to deliver important vaccination education at the point of care and empower parents and caregivers to engage in meaningful immunization conversations with their child's doctor."
"The point of care is an important place to reach busy parents and caregivers with vaccine reminders and up-to-date information," said Christina Suh, MD, MPH, a pediatrician and Director of Clinical Content at Phreesia. "We're so thrilled to be able to bring MMR education to parents while they're checking in for their appointment and thinking about their child's health."
AAP recommends children receive their first MMR vaccine between 12 and 15 months of age. A second dose is also needed at 4 to 6 years old, when most children are entering kindergarten. While MMR vaccination has been a trusted and safe way to protect children from disease since the 1950s, for the 2022-2023 school year, the national MMR vaccination rate for kindergartners was 93%, a coverage rate that translates to about 250,000 unvaccinated kindergartners and sits below the 95% threshold for community immunity.
"The American Academy of Pediatrics is dedicated to ensuring children in every community have the access to immunizations like the MMR vaccine to ensure they can grow and thrive," said AAP Infectious Disease Committee Chair Sean O'Leary, MD, MPH, FAAP. "That includes making sure parents and caregivers have the information they need about their children's immunizations, and conversations with their pediatrician is a good place to start."
About Phreesia
Phreesia is the trusted leader in patient activation, giving providers, life sciences companies, payers and other organizations tools to help patients take a more active role in their care. Founded in 2005, Phreesia enabled approximately 150 million patient visits in 2023—more than 1 in 10 visits across the U.S.—scale that we believe allows us to make meaningful impact. Offering patient-driven digital solutions for intake, outreach, education and more, Phreesia enhances the patient experience, drives efficiency and improves healthcare outcomes. To learn more, visit phreesia.com.
About American Academy of Pediatrics
The American Academy of Pediatrics is an organization of 67,000 primary care pediatricians, pediatric medical subspecialists and pediatric surgical specialists whose mission is to attain optimal physical, mental, and social health and well-being for all infants, children, adolescents, and young adults. For frequent updates on AAP recommendations, Pediatrics studies, AAP in the news, public awareness campaigns, information for parents and more, follow us on social media @AmerAcadPeds.
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