GLHC – Immunization Message Query and Retrieve

Thanks to the work of Great Lakes Health Connect (GLHC) in Grand Rapids, MI, pediatricians and any/all providers across the State have the option to seamlessly query the Michigan Care Improvement Registry (MCIR) for immunization history records on their patients. This can be accomplished without leaving their in-house EMR (Electronic Medical Record) system, via the VXQ (Vaccination Record Query) transaction. Such capability is especially important to pediatricians, but also to all specialties, hospitals, and allied care providers alike. Immunization query significantly reduces errors by removing separate sign-on and “fat finger” problems when data is manually entered into the State’s registry system. It also reduces the need to “poke” patients unnecessarily when they have already received an immunization, but the physician was not aware. For years, GLHC has allowed providers to submit their VXU (Vaccination Record Updates) / Immunization data electronically from their EMRs, but this new query and retrieve functionality takes immunization management for providers and patients in Michigan to the next level of interoperability.