IRIS can offer many benefits to providers.  Using IRIS can help practices be more efficient by streamlining the immunization administration process and office work flow, and saving staff time. Some of the major benefits of provider participation in IRIS include: 

• Consolidates immunization-related information into a single centralized record.  IRIS combines immunization information from different sources into a single record and provides official immunization records for school and childcare.
• Instantly calculates which vaccines need to be given to patients in accordance with the latest ACIP vaccine recommendations and intervals. 
• When requested, it automatically generates reminder and recall postcards and/or mailing labels to send out to parents to remind them when their child’s immunizations are due or have been missed.
• Decreases time spent by your office staff seeking immunization histories from previous providers. Lists can also be generated to expedite school enrollment and eliminate individual calls from school personnel. 
• Privacy and Confidentiality.  IRIS protects the privacy of all users, including children, families, and providers.  They take measures to ensure that only those who are authorized to do so have access to IRIS information.  
• Supplies patient lists for special recalls or mailings. 
• Calculates the immunization status of the provider’s patient base. (CoCASA) 
• Data Exchange:  IRIS can exchange immunization information with hospitals and medical providers.  Data exchange between IRIS and other electronic systems contributes to more complete immunization records in IRIS.  This helps ensure that IRIS and other systems make accurate recommendations, that children get only the vaccinations they need, and that immunization providers can work more efficiently.

• Must have Windows XP or newer 
• Internet Explorer version 6.0 or newer 
• High speed internet (either cable or DSL) (recommended) 
• Username and password (for those qualifying to receive one)

IRIS has the capacity to electronically exchange data with clinical systems including electronic medical records. The capacity and direction of this exchange depends on the technical capacity of the electronic medical record system and IRIS.  IRIS uses the industry standard Health Level 7 (HL7) protocol to exchange immunization information.

Exchanging immunization information with IRIS very much depends on the EHR system a practice uses and even the version of that system. . IRIS typically requires some form of internet access which involves high speed internet access. The computer application used in your practice should have the ability to create an interface file that conforms to a standard exchange format of HL7 2.3.1 or 2.5.1. Additional software requirements may be necessary for authentication, encryption and sending the file to IRIS.

Additionally, the EHR system used should be populated with immunization records – not scanned in.  This makes the set up of the export much easier to work with. 

Currently, we have electronic exchanges with the following Electronic Health Record (EHR) systems.  This list is not exclusive, and each exchange set up depends on the version of the EHR software your office utilizes.   If your practice would like to develop an exchange with IRIS, please contact IIS/EHR Interoperability Grant Coordinator: Travis Kushner at kushnert@dhw.idaho.gov or call (208) 334-0675 for more information.

• E Clinical Works
• Next Gen
• GE Centricity (Logician)
• SAGE
• RPMS (Indian Health Services)
• MARS/Noteworthy
• EZ health Care
• Success EHS, EMR
• Allscripts

Yes. If your EHR vendor would like more information on how IRIS can help with meaningful use, please fill out the appropriate information and fax to our office at 208-334-6590. 

• Cover Page
• NON-VFC provider questionnaire     
• VFC provider questionnaire

IRIS can provide a provider a letter of attestation – meaning, IRIS can log when a provider sends us an HL7 message.  This is called “attestation”.  We first need information from the provider.  After the information is received, we set up the provider as a user in our “test” environment and the message can then be sent by the provider EHR.  Once the message is received, the attestation letter can be completed and sent out. For more information on how IRIS can help your practice with Meaningful Use, please call Cindy Brock at (208)334-0675 or email at brockc@dhw.idaho.gov