28th Pennsylvania Immunization Conference

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This activity is jointly provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Health and Penn State College of Medicine.

Each year, the Pennsylvania Department of Health, Division of Immunization and Penn State College of Medicine present a conference to bring immunization partners together to share information, discuss current issues and recommend strategies to improve immunization rates in Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Immunization Conference targets private and public health care professionals from Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. This would include the following:

• Epidemiologists
• Family Physicians
• Health Care Professionals Working with Immunizations
• Health Educators
• Immunization Coalitions Members
• Medical Assistants
• Medical Students
• Nurse Practitioners
• Nurses
• Nursing Students
• Pediatricians
• Pharmacists
• Physicians Assistants
• Practice Managers
• Public Health Staff
• Residents
• School Nurses

• 7:30 a.m. | Check-In, Continental Breakfast, Visit Exhibitors and Networking
• 8:30 a.m. | Welcome and Opening Remarks
  Thomas McCleaf
  Debra Bogen, MD
• 9 a.m. | Recognition of Pennsylvania’s 2024 Immunization Vaccine Champion Awardees
  Debra Bogen, MD
• 9:15 a.m. | Confronting Vaccine Myths
  Paul Offit, MD

  Objectives

  • Describe the challenges and opportunities to confronting prominent myths.
  • Discuss why myths can gain a foothold with the American public.
• 10:15 a.m. | Morning Break, Refreshments, Visit Exhibitors and Networking
• 10:30 a.m. | 2024 Immunization Schedules Updates
  JoEllen Wolicki, BSN, RN

  Objectives

  • Describe updates to the 2024 childhood, adolescent and adult immunization schedules.
• 11:30 a.m. | Vaccine-Preventable Disease (VPD) Epidemiology and Outbreaks in Pennsylvania, 2024
  Lauren Torso Orkis, PhD
  Arlene Seid, MD, MPH, FACPM, CMQ

  Objectives

  • Explain where VPD outbreaks have occurred in the past year in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
  • Discuss how the unique characteristic of the associated VPD have contributed to transmission in each of the outbreaks.
• Noon | Lunch, Visit Exhibitors and Networking
• 1 p.m. | Inoculating Yourself Against Anti-Vax Propaganda: A Mom’s Personal Story: Back to the Vax
  Lydia Greene, LPN
  Heather Lamb

  Objectives

  • Explain how a health care professional became an anti-vaxxer despite having a scientific background.
  • Describe the transition a health care provider made from a position in the anti-vax movement and echo chamber to now having had experience in providing vaccines to people.
• 1:45 p.m. | Effective Strategies To Address Vaccine Hesitancy
  Rupali Limaye, PhD, MPH, MA

  Objectives

  • Review drivers of vaccine hesitancy and how they have changed over time (pre-COVID to post-COVID).
  • Discuss the role of misinformation in vaccine acceptance.
  • Describe evidence-based communication strategies to increase vaccine acceptance.
• 2:15 p.m. | Reaching the Hard To Reach Through Pennsylvania’s Community Health Centers
  Cheri Rinehart, BSN, RN, NHA

  Objectives

  • Discuss the Community Health Center model and how it raises immunization rates.
  • Identify Pennsylvania’s Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs)—who they are, where they are and how they are making a difference.
  • Explain why FQHCs should be providers, partners and employers of choice.
• 2:45 p.m. | Afternoon Break, Refreshments, Visit Exhibitors and Networking
• 3 p.m. | Promising Practice: Successfully Immunizing Through the School System
  Crystal Perez, MSN, RN, CSN

  Objectives

  • Explore the literature and best practices relating to school-based immunization administration.
  • Discuss considerations for implementing a school-based immunization program.
  • Discuss lessons learned and future goals.
• 3:30 p.m. | Vaccines for Children Program Vaccine Storage, Handling and Reducing Waste: Most Common Errors and Steps to Success
  Beth Smith, BSN, RN
  Daniel Miller

  Objectives

  • Identify causations of temperature excursions with the potential to affect vaccine viability.
  • Develop strategies for corrective action post-temperature excursion.
• 4 p.m. | Immunization Education, Coordination and Collaboration in Pennsylvania
  Molly Gatto, MHA
  Lyn Robertson, PhD, MSN, BSN

  Objectives

  • Describe strategies in addressing diverse populations such as underinsured, uninsured and people living in rural areas in Pennsylvania (PA).
  • Describe educational opportunities offered by PA Academy of Pediatrics (PAAAP) and PA Immunization Coalition (PAIC).
• 4:25 p.m. | In-Person Attendee Recognitions and Closing Remarks
  Thomas McCleaf
• 4:30 p.m. | Adjournment

Debra Bogen, MD
Acting Secretary of Health
Pennsylvania Department of Health

Thomas “Tom” McCleaf
Director, Bureau of Immunizations
Pennsylvania Department of Health

Molly Gatto, MHA
Senior Immunization Program Manager, Pennsylvania Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics (PAAAP)
Senior Staff Support, Pennsylvania Immunization Coalition (PAIC)

Lydia Greene, LPN
Alberta Health Services
Back to the Vax Co-Founder

Heather Lamb
Back to the Vax Co-Founder

Rupali Limaye, PhD, MPH, MA
Associate Professor
Departments of International Health, Epidemiology and Health, Behavior and Society
Associate Chair for Research, Department of International Health
Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Dan Miller
Public Health Assistant Administrator
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Bureau of Immunizations

Paul Offit, MD
Professor of Pediatrics
Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania
Attending Physician
Division of Infectious Diseases
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia

Crystal Perez, MSN, RN, CSN
Assistant Director of Health Services
Allentown School District

Cheri Rinehart, BSN, RN, NHA
President and Chief Executive Officer
Pennsylvania Association of Community Health Centers (PACHC)

Lyn Robertson, PhD, MSN, BSN
Director, Cancer Screening and External Partnerships
Office of Community Outreach and Engagement and Health Equity
Assistant Professor of Medicine, School of Medicine
Division Hematology/Oncology
Assistant Professor GSPH, CBHS
Assistant Professor School of Nursing
University of Pittsburgh

Arlene Seid, MD, MPH, FACPM, CMQ
Epidemiologist
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Bureau of Epidemiology

Beth Smith, BSN, RN
Immunization Nurse Consultant
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Bureau of Immunizations

Lauren Torso Orkis, PhD
Epidemiologist Supervisor
Pennsylvania Department of Health
Bureau of Epidemiology

JoEllen Wolicki, BSN, RN
Nurse Educator
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Immunizations and Respiratory Diseases
Immunization Services Division
Health Education and Communication Branch

AMA

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of Penn State College of Medicine and The Pennsylvania Department of Health. Penn State College of Medicine is accredited by the ACCME to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Penn State College of Medicine designates this live activity for a maximum of 6.25 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s). Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Nurses Using AMA Credit

Nurses will receive a certificate from Penn State College of Medicine verifying their participation in 6.25 hours of approved continuing medical education. Continuing education activities which are approved by accredited institutions of higher education and that are relevant to patient care or professional nursing meet the requirements of mandatory continuing education for registered nurses in Pennsylvania, as required by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing. The Board of Nursing recommends that nurses retain their certificates for a period of at least five years. Additional information is available through the State Board of Nursing.

Social Work

Penn State is an approved provider as defined by Pa. Code Sections 47.36(a)(3), 48.36(a)(3), and 49.36(a)(3). Social workers, marriage and family therapists, and professional counselors licensed by the state of Pennsylvania can earn 6.25 clock hours of continuing education for completing this course.

ACPE

Application has been made for ACPE credit.

The fee is $150 per person for in-person attendance or $75 per person for virtual attendance and includes the cost of instruction, online handout materials and all listed meals.

Early-Bird registration fee is $130 per person for in-person attendance. You must register before Friday, April 12. There is no early-bird registration fee for virtual attendance.

Payment is required at the time of registration. If you have any questions or concerns, please email us at ContinuingEd@pennstatehealth.psu.edu.

Registrations received after Wednesday, June 12, will incur a $25 late fee.

Cancellations received after Thursday, June 6, will be assessed a $25 processing fee.

No refunds will be made for cancellations or switching from in-person to virtual received after Monday, June 10.

Penn State College of Medicine rates are available at:

Hershey Lodge
A limited room block has been reserved at the Hershey Lodge for the 2024 Immunization Conference.  When this block sells out, attendees will be directed to the main booking page, where the best available rate will be provided.

A list of Hershey-area lodging is available upon request or online at ce.med.psu.edu/lodging.

Join us in Hershey

Hershey is conveniently located in central Pennsylvania, just 90 minutes from Baltimore and Philadelphia, two hours from Washington, D.C., and three hours from New York City.

• Harrisburg-Area Attractions
• Hershey Attractions
• Tanger Outlets in Hershey
• Historic Gettysburg
• Pennsylvania Dutch and Amish Country

A completed evaluation is required in order to receive a certificate for attending this activity. Please complete and submit the evaluation within the specified time frame.

The University reserves the right to cancel or postpone any course or activity because of insufficient enrollment or other unforeseen circumstances. If a program is canceled or postponed, the University will refund any program registration fees paid but cannot be held responsible for any related costs, charges or expenses, including cancellation/change charges assessed by airlines or travel agencies.

Program registrants who are experiencing illness or have been exposed to anyone who is ill should contact the Continuing Education office before attending any in-person activities.

Content and speakers for all programs are subject to change. Registrants will be notified of any significant updates.

On-campus educational activities provided by Penn State College of Medicine Continuing Education are required to follow healthcare facility guidelines. Off-campus events provided by Penn State College of Medicine Continuing Education follow the COVID-19 requirements of that venue. We ask that all participants respect that some attendees may still choose to wear masks for activities. Check the venue website for the latest requirements and recommendations. Please do not attend this activity if you have symptoms or have been exposed to someone with COVID-19. By attending the activity, you attest that you do not have any symptoms suggestive of COVID-19, which may include fever, cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, loss of taste, loss of smell or any other sign of illness.

Penn State encourages people with disabilities to participate in its programs and activities. Participants who anticipate needing any type of special accommodation or who have questions about the physical access provided should contact the Continuing Education office at least one week in advance of participation or visit.

It is Penn State policy to ensure balance, independence, objectivity and scientific rigor in all educational activities. Penn State has a process in place to mitigate any relevant financial relationships with commercial companies disclosed by faculty, course directors and planning committee members. Complete disclosure information will be provided to participants at the beginning of the activity.

This publication is available in alternative media on request. The Pennsylvania State University is committed to the policy that all persons shall have equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment without regard to personal characteristics not related to ability, performance or qualifications as determined by University policy or by state or federal authorities. It is the policy of the University to maintain an academic and work environment free of discrimination, including harassment. The Pennsylvania State University prohibits discrimination and harassment against any person because of age, ancestry, color, disability or handicap, genetic information, national origin, race, religious creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or veteran status and retaliation due to the reporting of discrimination or harassment. Discrimination, harassment or retaliation against faculty, staff or students will not be tolerated at The Pennsylvania State University. Direct all inquiries regarding the Nondiscrimination Policy to the Affirmative Action Director, The Pennsylvania State University, 328 Boucke Building, University Park, PA 16802-5901; 814-863-0471 (TTY). US M.Ed. J6958