Review of the South Australian Immunisation Calculator

Project Info

Client

  • Australian Government Department of Health

Client Type

  • Commonwealth department

Financial Year

  • 2014-15

Health Area

  • Primary health

Service Provided

  • Health program evaluations

Jurisdiction

  • National

The Commonwealth Department of Health (DoH) engaged HMA to undertake a review of the South Australian Immunisation Calculator (Immunisation Calculator). The Immunisation Calculator was a computer-based system designed for use within the National Immunisation Program. It was designed to assist medical practitioners and immunisation providers by providing a ‘catch up’ schedule for delayed or missed vaccines for all Australian children who had fallen behind in their vaccinations. The objective of the Immunisation Calculator Review was to assess the effectiveness of the Immunisation Calculator in providing immunisation providers with a useful tool to determine catch up schedules. Key tasks included:

  • situation analysis to provide background and context to the project,
  • stakeholder consultation, including face to face and telephone interviews with the Immunisation Calculator management group (SA Health) as well as the remaining seven Jurisdictional Immunisation Committee members and other stakeholders.
  • review of Immunisation Calculator operations and documentation, including work processes, business rules, technology assessment, usage statistics and mandatory requirements
  • assessment of the accuracy of the Immunisation Calculator via four test case examples.
  • survey immunisation providers for feedback on usability of the Immunisation Calculator and information on other methods of developing catch-up schedules. This included development of an online survey as well as a comprehensive distribution method tailored for each jurisdiction, and
  • triangulation of data obtained to assess the Immunisation Calculator for appropriateness, effectiveness and efficiency.

The project commenced in January 2015 and was completed May 2015