SOUTH DAKOTA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
FOR RELEASE: September 10, 2002
CONTACT: Bonnie Jameson, 605-773-3737

Clinics honored for child immunization rates

     PIERRE − Immunization rates higher than 90% have earned nine clinics Golden Syringe Awards from the state’s child immunization program. Over the past year, each of the clinics has consistently maintained the 90% coverage rate of its clients in the 19-35 month age group. 

     Clinics earning the awards include Aberdeen Family Physicians, Aberdeen; Dakota Plains Clinic, Pierre; Brown Clinic, Watertown; Interlakes Medical Clinic, Madison; Kapur Clinic, Huron; Pediatrics Plus, Mitchell; Rapid City Regional Hospital Family Practice Residency Clinic, Rapid City; Pennington County Community Health, Rapid City; and Roberts County Community Health, Sisseton. Each of the clinics has at least 50 clients in the 19-35 month age group.

     The awards will be presented at a September 18 ceremony in Pierre as a concluding activity for National Immunization Awareness Month, which is observed each August. The ceremony marks the 1st Annual Awards of Excellence to be presented by the Department of Health’s Immunization Program.

     “These clinics are doing an outstanding job of making sure South Dakota children are protected from measles, diphtheria and other serious diseases,” said Bonnie Jameson, Disease Prevention Administrator for the department. 

     Jameson said one reason the clinics have been able to maintain such high immunization rates is their participation in the South Dakota Immunization Information System (SDIIS). The SDIIS allows tracking of immunization rates statewide, but also gives local clinics an effective tool to check their own records as well as use a follow-up and reminder system to increase rates. Currently, 219 clinics statewide participate in SDIIS and the system includes 338,353 patient records with a total of more than 2,000,000 individual shots.

     In addition to the Golden Syringe Awards, the department will recognize four clinics that have shown significant improvement in immunization rates over the past year. They include Dunes Family Medicine, North Sioux City; McGreevy Clinic West, Sioux Falls; United Clinic, Aberdeen; and Yankton Medical Clinic, Yankton.

     Jameson said the department will also present certificates to 21 clinics that have fewer than 50 clients in the 19-35 month age group but maintain the 90% coverage level. These clinics include:

• Beadle County Community Health Services – Huron   
• Brown County Community Health Services – Aberdeen   
• Brookings County Community Health Services – Brookings   
• Charles Mix County Community Health Services – Lake Andes, Platte and Wagner   
• Clark County Community Health Services – Clark   
• Clay County Community Health Services – Vermillion   
• Codington County Community Health Services – Watertown   
• Custer County Community Health Services – Custer   
• Avera St. Benedict Health Center – Parkston    
• Faulk County Home and Community Care – Faulkton   
• Grant County Community Health Services – Milbank   
• Gregory County Community Health Services – Burke & Bonesteel   
• Hamlin County Community Health Services – Hayti   
• Hanson County Community Health Services – Alexandria   
• Hutchinson County Public Health Services – Freeman   
• McPherson County Public Health Services –  Eureka & Leola   
• Jerauld County Community Health Services – Wessington Springs   
• Lake County Community Health Services – Madison   
• Marshall County Community Health Services – Britton   
• McCook County Community Health Services – Salem   
• Moody County Public Health Services – Flandreau