Rate of and barriers to administration of the shingles vaccine at a transitional homeless shelter

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends that the shingles (herpes zoster) vaccination be given once to all patients age 60 years and over without contraindications. However, as of 12/23/14, the current rate of administration of the shingles vaccine to eligible patients at Valley Lodge, the transitional homeless site for the West Side Federation for Senior and Supportive Housing in New York City, was 1%. During a one year trial period from 2/1/15-1/30/16, we attempted to offer and administer the shingles vaccine to all eligible patients at Valley Lodge with the goal of increasing the administration rate to the national administration rate of 20%. There are many barriers to administering the shingles vaccine including disparity in co-payments, vaccine shipping costs, lack of coverage by insurance companies, patients declining the vaccine, patients not going to a pharmacy to receive the vaccine, and storage issues specific to the vaccine. We developed a workflow model that involved partnering with a pharmacy and holding group immunization days to administer the vaccine. This poster presents a retrospective chart review of the immunization rate and barriers to receiving the shingles vaccine for eligible patients at Valley Lodge during the trial period.