vaccinenm.org

Becoming a COVID-19 Vaccine Provider

Part 2: Getting Your Practice Ready to Manage COVID-19 Vaccine

As a healthcare provider, you will need to make sure you and your staff are ready to manage and administer the COVID-19 vaccine.

In this section you will find:

Staff Roles for Vaccine Management

You will need to identify staff to fulfill two main roles:

1. Temperature Monitoring:
Storage Unit Temperatures – Upload temperatures weekly for all storage units used for COVID-19 vaccine.

Temperature Monitoring and Excursions – Ensure site compliance with all storage and handling requirements, including monitoring of storage unit temperatures. All temperature excursions must be reported immediately and a COVID-19 Troubleshooting Record (TSR) initiated.

2. COVID-19 Inventory Reconciliation
Perform inventory reconciliation weekly.

 

Vaccine Management Plans

Every staff member who works with vaccines is responsible for proper storage and handling of vaccines and must familiarize themself with their site’s Routine and Emergency Vaccine Management Plans.

Every site must have two (Routine & Emergency) written vaccine management plans:

Keep your plans by the storage units!

Billing Compliance

If you participate in the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program, you MUST:

  • Administer the vaccine with no out-of-pocket cost to your patients for the vaccine or administration of the vaccine
  • Vaccinate everyone, including the uninsured, regardless of coverage or network status

If you participate in the CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Program, you MAY NOT:

  • Balance bill for COVID-19 vaccinations
  • Charge your patients for an office visit or other fee if COVID-19 vaccination is the only medical service given
  • Require additional medical or other services during the visit as a condition for getting a COVID-19 vaccination

Standing Orders: Vaccine Administration

These are Standing Orders that you can use for Vaccine Administration:

DOH COVID-19 vaccine protocol/standing order template (add your organization’s letterhead) 

CDC Standing Orders for COVID-19 Vaccine:

    Standing Orders: Vaccine Reactions and Anaphylaxis (Rare)

    Although Anaphylaxis from the vaccines is extremely rare, staff must be prepared. DOH POD sites must have epinephrine available, and medical practices should  have emergency supply kits containing epinephrine.  If you do not, please use this opportunity to acquire emergency supplies and develop an emergency plan that does not solely include calling 911.

     These are Standing Orders that you can use for Anaphylaxis Management:

    Medical Management of Vaccine Reactions in Adults in a Community Setting (immunize.org)

    DOH Emergency Response protocol/standing order template (add your organization’s letterhead)