SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
FOR RELEASE: September 30, 2003
CONTACT: Bonnie Jameson"605-773-3737

State’s childhood immunization rate increasing; clinics honored

     PIERRE ¯ South Dakota clinics were honored at a September 25 luncheon for their efforts to reach the state’s goal of 95% childhood immunization rate.

     An assessment of immunization coverage levels of clinics using the state’s computerized South Dakota Immunization Information System (SDIIS) shows 80% of 19-25 month olds in the state are up to date on their immunizations. This represents a 5% increase since the last assessment in March and 23% increase over the last three years. The assessment found that 6,988 of 8,773 clients in that age group were up to date. 

     “It’s so important to maintain high immunization levels in the 19-35 month old age group because our infants and preschoolers are the ones who are most vulnerable to diseases like measles, diphtheria and whooping cough,” said Bonnie Jameson, Disease Prevention Administrator for the Department of Health. “We’re pleased to recognize those clinics that are doing a great job of making sure South Dakota’s children are protected from these diseases.”

     Jameson said participation in SDIIS is an effective tool for helping clinics achieve and maintain high immunization levels. The system allows tracking of immunization rates statewide, but also gives local clinics a way to check their own records as well as use a follow-up and reminder system to increase rates. Currently, 224 clinics statewide participate in SDIIS and the system includes 375,717 patient records with a total of 2,772,671 individual shots.

Golden Syringe Awards
(served more than 50 2-year-olds, maintained 90% immunization rate over the last year)

Aberdeen - Aberdeen Family Physicians
Aberdeen - United Clinic
Brookings - Brookings Clinic
Eagle Butte - Family Health Center of Eagle Butte
Huron - Dr. Hiroo Kapur
Madison - Interlakes Medical Center
Mitchell - Pediatrics Plus
Pierre - Dakota Plains Clinic
Rapid City - Creekside Family Practice
Rapid City - Medical Arts Clinic
Rapid City - Pennington County Community
   Health Services
Rapid City - Rapid City Residency Clinic
Sioux Falls - Center for Family Medicine
Sisseton - Roberts County Community Health
   Services
Watertown - Brown Clinic

Silver Syringe Award 
(outstanding improvement in rates over past year, largest provider of childhood immunizations on system)

Sioux Falls - Pediatrics Specialists (served more than 700 2-year-olds, increased rates > 40%)

Most Improved Clinics Awards
(served more than 50 2-year-olds, showed most improvement over the last year)

Mitchell - Dakota Family Practice
Mitchell - Mitchell Clinic
Pierre - Medical Associates Clinic
Sioux Falls - McGreevy Clinic, Main
Sioux Falls - Sioux River Valley Community
   Health Center
Sioux Falls - Sycamore Clinic
Yankton - Yankton Medical Clinic

Consistently Maintaining Immunization Rates Awards
(served fewer than 50 2-year-olds, maintained rates of 90%)

Private Medical Clinics
Brandon - McGreevy Clinic
Chamberlain - Mid-Dakota Clinic
Corsica - Corsica Medical Clinic
DeSmet - Bell Medical Clinic
Estelline - Estelline Clinic
Freeman - Rural Medical Clinic
Geddes - Geddes Medical Clinic
Gettysburg - Community Care Clinic
Ipswich - Ipswich Health Center
Kennebec - Lyman County Health Center 
Lake Norden - Lake Norden Clinic
Lennox - Lennox Medical Center 
Marion - Rural Medical Clinic 
Menno - Menno Clinic
Murdo - Jones County Rural Health Center 
Philip - Philip Health Services 
Salem - Salem Community Clinic 
Sioux Falls - Sioux Valley Clinic – East 
Tyndall - Bon Homme Family Practice
Webster - Day County Medical Center
Wessington Springs - Jerauld County Clinic 
White - White Family Practice
Wilmot - Wilmot Clinic

Public Health Providers
Aberdeen - Brown Co. Community Health 
Alexandria - Hanson Co. Community Health 
Armour - Douglas Co. Community Health 
Belle Fourche - Butte Co. Community Health 
Bowdle - Edmunds Co. Community Health 
Britton - Marshall Co. Community Health
Brookings - Brookings Co. Community Health 
Burke - Gregory Co. Community Health 
Clark - Clark Co. Community Health 
Custer - Custer Co. Community Health 
Dupree - Ziebach Co. Community Health 
Faith - Meade Co. Community Health 
Faulkton - Faulk Co. Community Health 
Flandreau - Moody Co. Community Health 
Freeman - Hutchinson Co. Community Health 
Hill City - Pennington Co. Community Health
Howard - Miner Co. Community Health
Huron - Beadle Co. Community Health
Isabel - Dewey Co. Community Health 
Kadoka - Jackson Co. Community Health 
Madison - Lake Co. Community Health 
Martin - Bennett Co. Community Health
Milbank - Grant Co. Community Health 
Mitchell - Davison Co. Community Health 
Pierre - Hughes Co. Community Health 
Plankinton - Aurora Co. Community Health
Redfield - Spink Co. Community Health 
Timber Lake – Dewey Co. Community Health Vermillion - Clay Co. Community Health 
Viborg - Turner Co. Community Health 
Watertown - Codington Co. Community Health 
Wessington Springs - Jerauld Co. Community 
   Health