The Indiana Immunization Coalition presented Amber Gelbaugh, Kosciusko County Health Department, with the Merck Immunization Registry Award this month in Indianapolis.

The Merck Immunization Registry Award is given to an individual or organization that has assisted in promoting and supporting the Children and Hoosier's Immunization Registry Program. CHIRP is a statewide computer-based system designed to keep track of immunization records. It is Internet based, providing real-time access.

Nominating Gelbaugh was county health nurse Deborah Frank.

In her nomination of Gelbaugh, Frank wrote, "Amber has single-handedly taken the initiative to contact Head Start, every family physician's office and school nurses from all three school corporations in our county to introduce them to CHIRP. Letters were sent out explaining the new immunization registry. Training sessions were then set up with each individual office giving personal hands-on experience. Amber compiled training manuals for everyone and encouraged 'calls of distress' if problems were encountered. Call backs were made a week later to everyone and surveys sent out for feedback.

"Countless hours were spent by Amber, training more than 57 people (20 school nurses, 32 medical office staff, five Head Start and health department workers).

"Amber feels that the immunization registry is 'too good of a thing' to not share with everyone who could benefit from the vaccine information that's as close as their fingertips."

Gelbaugh said CHIRP started in Indiana in 2002. The goal of the program, she said, is that every child who receives a vaccination in Indiana will be in the registry so their records carry with them wherever they go and they won't get duplicate immunization shots. As families move and change health insurance, children may see more than one physician and records become scattered. CHIRP consolidates those records for children who are immunized in Indiana.

When CHIRP is fully operational, it will help doctors, clinics and health departments ensure that their patients receive appropriate immunizations by making complete records easily accessible.

As of Tuesday, 2,095,631 clients were enrolled in CHIRP in Indiana and 16,773,449 vaccinations were recorded in the registry.

The Indiana Immunization Coalition is a volunteer organization representing more than 67 agencies concerned about children's immunizations. Their goals include promoting their immunization registry, developing education programs focused on immunization issues and providing leadership to support statewide initiatives developed to meet the needs of local communities.

For more information about CHIRP, phone 888-227-4439, fax 317-233-8827 or visit online at http://chirp.isdh.state.in.us [[In-content Ad]]