UCSF’s Mass Vaccination Project team won the 2023 Mojgan Amini Operational Excellence Golden Award. They were one of 14 teams recognized by the UC Tech community for using technology to advance the mission of the university in 2023. The press releast, 2023 UC Tech Awards winners: Celebrating technical excellence, grounded in a commitment to caring, shares details regarding all winning projects in 2023. Learn more about the Mass Vaccination Project team’s three-year program to develop methods to ensure efficient care delivery in the extract from their 2023 UC Tech Awards nomination, below. For those interested in learning about the winners of the 2024 UC Tech Awards, please join the UC Tech Conference on Tuesday, October 28, from 5-6 at UC Davis for the UC Tech Awards Ceremony.
Using a sophisticated technology solution to deliver limited COVID vaccine to a large metropolitan area
Delivering limited COVID vaccine to a large metropolitan area in a fair and equitable way required a multi- modal system of outreach and scheduling, coupled with backend IT infrastructure to ensure efficient care delivery and data to monitor program efforts. The UCSF Apex team developed new methods to randomize 33,000 staff members according to risk and automate scheduling, then extended these capabilities to serve the residents of the Bay Area. The UCSF Health Information Technology (HIT) Team is responsible for maintenance of the electronic health record (EHR) at UCSF. The team supports all aspects of the EHR, including registration and scheduling, care delivery, and billing.
The interdisciplinary team
As UCSF mobilized for COVID vaccine delivery in the fall of 2020, the scope and logistics of running a mass vaccination clinic, along with the details of what was involved was something nobody at UCSF had ever been challenged with. The ensuing effort was truly multi-disciplinary, including:
- IT
- Supply chain logistics
- Pharmacy
- Clinical experts
- Infection control
- Clinicians
- Schedulers
As the December 2020 release date of the vaccine approached, priority recipient groups were identified, but UCSF lacked a system to ensure they could distribute and administer vaccine in accordance with the federal guidelines, while also distributing it fairly and equitably to the highest risk groups. The Health Information Technology (HIT) Team developed an online scheduling system for the first group of recipients, approximately 33,000 UCSF staff members. This system randomized recipients within specific risk bands to minimize bias, eliminate any perception of preferential treatment, ensure vaccines were being distributed equitably and collect the data to monitor these goals.
Ensuring equity across diverse populations
UCSF staff received invitations to schedule vaccine appointments according to risk group and vaccine availability and were able to subsequently choose an appointment online. UCSF vaccine clinics were run efficiently with little or no wait time, and minimal conflict, in part, because of the electronic scheduling systems deployed. Front line clinical staff at highest risk were offered vaccine within the first month, and the Health Information Technology (HIT) Team supported outreach to other vulnerable groups at UCSF. Ultimately, UCSFprimary series COVID vaccination rates for black/African American staff were approximately 94%, and 98% for Latinx staff, higher than the national rate. This success is due to the hard work of an entire team of people and a solid IT infrastructure.
The Health Information Technology (HIT) Team continued to support COVID vaccine and testing clinics for the general public, and supported both patients who could schedule themselves, as well as UCSF teams who assisted those who were unable to schedule because of a technology barrier. From December 2020 through April 2023, the team directly contributed to helping San Francisco County achieve a >90% vaccination rate, and supported UCSF’s mission to deliver care fairly and equitably.
About the UC Tech Awards Program
he UC Tech Awards Program, sponsored by the UC CIO Council, celebrates the achievements of UC employees in creating high-impact technology initiatives that drive digital transformation. A key source of innovation, the program promotes increased engagement that allows the community to learn from one another across a range of disciplines, including IT, research, academics, patient care and business. All applicants are profiled in a press release and included in networking events throughout the year that help foster connection and drive synergies and growth. Winners receive official recognitions and additional visibility. The CIO Council is immensely grateful to the teams across 35 locations who take the time to share their progress with them and the community at large.
Contact
Andrew Maruoka
Director of Health Application Solutions
UCSF Health