Public Health Registries: Immunizations

This is the onboarding page for immunizations. Onboarding refers to the testing and validation process that providers and public health programs engage in prior to ongoing submission of production data from certified electronic health record technology (CEHRT). This page contains information on the Division of Public Health (DPH) Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR), including:

• Technical capacity to receive data
• Resource/administrative capacity and queue prioritization
• Information required to register with the program
• Detailed onboarding checklist

Technical capacity and specifications

WIR is capable of receiving electronic immunization data from providers and hospitals per the current CEHRT standards and specifications. WIR is capable of accepting the specific standards required to meet the 2015 Edition CEHRT definition [the HL7 Version 2.5.1: Implementation Guide for Immunization Messaging, Release 1.5 (October 2014) (PDF)].

Providers presently have two options to submit immunization data to public health:

• Electronically send immunization data directly to WIR.
• Electronically send immunization data to WIR via the Wisconsin Statewide Health Information Network (WISHIN).

Regardless of which transmission path is used, any provider newly onboarding to WIR or upgrading an existing interface to WIR for immunization data submission must conform to the HL7 2.5.1 standards and submit data from EHR technology that is certified to the current federal standards for immunization data submission to public health.

Resource capacity and prioritization

DPH has limited resource capacity to test with and onboard data exchange partners.

DPH prioritizes immunization testing for all potential and existing data exchange partners. DPH is currently prioritizing the onboarding and testing process based on some of the following criteria (in no particular order):

• PHREDS registration date
• Organization type (clinic, hospital, health department, pharmacy, etc.)
• Number of locations/facilities
• Data volume
• Vaccines For Children (VFC) program participation
• Organization’s participation in Meaningful Use
• General upgrade of the interface, whether due to new EHR system or sending additional data elements

Prioritization is subject to change depending on DPH staff capacity and funding availability. Each prioritization criterion carries a different weighted value.

Information required to register

To register, you will need the following information:

1. Organization name
2. Primary technical contact information (phone number and email address)
3. Primary Meaningful Use contact information (phone number and email address), if applicable
4. Primary address
5. Meaningful Use stage and year, if applicable
6. EHR vendor name
7. EHR product name and version of product
8. HL7 format (specify): 2.5.1 Technical specifications (PDF)
9. Submission option (WISHIN or direct to WIR)

For providers intending to meet Meaningful Use, the immunization program will not begin the onboarding process until you register.

If you would like to register to submit immunization data using CEHRT, please visit the PHREDS Enrollment and Registration of Intent page.

Onboarding checklist

To learn about the technical onboarding protocols for submitting immunization data from your CEHRT, use the onboarding checklist, P-00553 (PDF).

Questions

If you have questions concerning the registration process, email the Wisconsin eHealth Program at eHealth@dhs.wisconsin.gov.

If you have questions concerning the technical onboarding process for immunizations, email the Wisconsin Immunization Registry at DHSImmunizationProgram@dhs.wisconsin.gov