Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Massachusetts Immunization Information System

The routine immunization schedule for children is getting more and more complex. Now there’s a new tool from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) to help you meet these challenges – an immunization registry called the Massachusetts Immunization Information System (MIIS). The MIIS is a secure, confidential, and easy-to-use system designed to support a complete set of immunization-related functions.

What can the MIIS do for you? 
-	Provide quick access to patient immunization records at point of care.
-	Make immunization histories for children new to your practice readily available. 
-	Validate patient vaccine history and forecasts due dates for future vaccinations.
-	Identify unimmunized and under-immunized children.
-	Prevent duplicate immunization.
-	Print forms for school and camp.
-	Create reminder and recall materials for your patients with due or overdue immunizations.
	
What are some of the other benefits of the MIIS?
-	Share data between practices, schools and other delivery sites.
-	Help to evaluate immunization usage and coverage for your practice.
-	Integrate immunization delivery and disease control. 
-	Provide infrastructure for communication and tracking for vaccines, medications, and other countermeasures needed during natural disasters, bio-terrorism events, flu pandemics and other emergencies.

Immunization Forecasting
The MIIS features an Immunization Forecast Module (IFM) to validate vaccine history and forecast the due dates of future immunizations based on:
	- current age
	- historical vaccinations, and 
	- special circumstances such as allergies or immunities.
The IFM is based on a complex set of rules and clinical guidelines--and is constantly updated to reflect the latest recommendations.

For more information about the MIIS, please visit: 
www.contactMIIS.info 
or contact the MIIS Help Desk at (617) 983-4335
MIIShelpdesk@state.ma.us

MIIS Information for Providers

MIIS for Practices with Paper-Based Health Records
Your practice will be able to log into the MIIS web-based interface from your office computer to routinely enter and access immunization information for your patients. To access the secure login to the MIIS, you simply need a computer with internet access.

MIIS and Practices with Electronic Health Records (EHR)
Many EHR systems can exchange data directly with the MIIS – so you will not need to enter immunization information into two different systems.  

How does data exchange with the MIIS work?
-	MIIS can accept data feeds in real-time or periodically, depending on your EHR system. 
-	Data will be available for immediate use as soon as it’s received by the MIIS from your EHR system. 
-	MIIS uses HL7 (version 2.5.1), a standard for exchanging health-related information between medical applications that is currently used by many EHR systems.
-	Your EHR software provider or IT department can help assess your specific EHR system capabilities.
-	If your EHR system is not capable of transmitting immunization data to the MIIS, you will need to enter your patients’ immunizations directly into the MIIS.
-	Regardless of your data exchange capabilities, you can utilize the Immunization Forecast Module (IFM) and reporting features within the MIIS for immunization tracking, reminder-recall notification, and form printing.	

HL7 Data Exchange…what is HL7? 
-	HL7 (Health Level Seven) is a national standard for exchanging health-related information between medical applications.
-	MIIS will exchange data in the following format: HL7 version 2.5.1. Many EHR systems currently use this data format. 
-	Your EHR software provider or IT department can talk to you about your specific EHR system capabilities.

 “Meaningful Use”
-	The 2009 federal stimulus bill (also know as ARRA) outlined incentives to increase adoption and utilization of EHRs in a meaningful way.
-	Incentive payments are available for Medicare and Medicaid eligible providers and hospitals that purchase, implement, and meaningfully use federally certified EHR systems.  Please see www.cms.gov/EHRIncentivePrograms for more information.
-	Certified EHRs must meet a predetermined set of objectives and be able to report on a set of quality measures.
-	Data exchange with the MIIS will satisfy the Public Health Objective for meaningful use.
-	For more information or to find out if you qualify for incentives, contact the Massachusetts eHealth Institute (MeHI), the Regional Extension Center for the Commonwealth, at info@mehi.org or (617) 371-3999.  You may also visit www.maehi.org.

New – Online Vaccine Ordering in 2013!
The MIIS will roll out a comprehensive Vaccine Management module in 2013 that will include online provider enrollment and vaccine ordering.  Providers that currently order vaccine from MDPH should register now at www.contactMIIS.info to ensure timely access to this new module.

For more information about the MIIS, please visit: 
www.contactMIIS.info 
or contact the MIIS Help Desk at (617) 983-4335 
MIIShelpdesk@state.ma.us