Providing vaccination services should be a core competency of any community pharmacy. These services not only benefit patient and public health, but also your business. There are "no excuses" for why any pharmacy is not offering vaccines. We understand that there are barriers to overcome like time, training and reimbursement, which is why we have created this toolkit. Here you will be able to find resources to help you tackle the toughest challenges from starting a brand new vaccine program to expanding services beyond flu to identifying how to maximize profits and public health. 

Recommended Reading

New resource supported by Pfizer
A Guide to Implementing Vaccine Services in Community Pharmacy

5 steps for independent pharmacies to start a vaccine program

How to make immunizations a pharmacy profit center

Policies and Procedures

CDC Vaccine Administration Tools - this resource provides comprehensive information for implementing a vaccine program including training tools for every step of the immunizing process. 

Standards for Adult Immunization Practice - created by the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC), these are the standards ALL immunizers should follow. There are four easy to remember standards: 

1. ASSESS immunization status of all your patients at every clinical encounter.
2. Strongly RECOMMEND vaccines that patients need.
3. ADMINISTER or REFER your patients to a vaccination provider.
4. DOCUMENT vaccines received by your patients.

Vaccine Authority by State - analysis of pharmacist vaccine authority across the country. 

The Adult Vaccine Assessment Tool - this quick quiz can inform your patients on vaccines they may need according to their age, health conditions, occupation, or other factors.

JotForm - use this HIPAA compliant platform to create an appointment scheduler or survey for your immunization services. It is free for coronavirus responders.

Staff Utilization

APhA Technician Integration in Pharmacy-Based Immunization Services

• Interactive online sessions on how to involve technicians with vaccine services in the pharmacy. 

Ordering Supplies

Vaccine Manufacturers

Influenza Vaccine Availability Tracking System- IVATS : A resource for healthcare settings looking to purchase influenza vaccine. This contains info from approved, enrolled and participating wholesale vaccine distributors or manufacturers of US licensed influenza vaccines.

• IVATS Report for 2020-2021

Influenza Vaccine Products for the 2020-2021 Influenza Season

Vaccine Event Checklist - a supply list to help you prepare for any vaccine administration event outside your pharmacy. 

Storage and Handling

CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling Resources

CDC Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit: In this toolkit you can find the CDC's guidelines and recommendations for vaccine storage and handling. The document outlines the vaccine cold chain, staff and training, vaccine storage and temperature monitoring equipment, inventory management, preparation, vaccine transportation as well as emergency vaccine storage and handling. 

CDC Vaccine Label Examples : Staff can easily become confused about vaccines within the storage unit because there are so many brands and formulations available. Labeling the area where vaccines are stored can help staff quickly locate and choose the correct vaccine. The following labels are examples that may be used to help organize vaccines. 

CDC Frozen Vaccines : This resource contains the best practices for storing your frozen vaccines along with some questions to test your knowledge.

CDC Refrigerated Vaccines : This resource contains the best practices for storing your refrigerated vaccines along with some questions to test your knowledge.

CDC Refrigerated Vaccines- Temperature Monitoring : Here you can find the best practices for monitoring the temperature of your refrigerated vaccines. The document outlines ideal storage temperatures, 3 steps that should be taken daily and when you should take action. 

CDC Frozen Vaccines- Temperature Monitoring : Here you can find the best practices for monitoring the temperature of your frozen vaccines. The document outlines ideal storage temperatures, 3 steps that should be taken daily and when you should take action. 

Vaccine Information Statements (VISs)

Vaccine information statements are required by law to be given to patients when any vaccine is administered. 

• Instructions for using VISs
• CDC Vaccine Information Statements

CDC Resources

Access free printable and digital content to share in your pharmacy and on your social media pages. 

• Seasonal Flu
• Adults
• Preteens & Teens
• Children
• Pregnant Women

Pharmacy Safety

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many patients have postponed much needed medical and preventative care. It is important to show what measures you are taking to keep your patients, staff and pharmacy safe. 

Provider Communication and Referral 

When administering a vaccine to a patient, it is important to communicate the information back to the patient's primary care physician. 

• Notification of Vaccination Template

Collaborative Practice Agreements and Standing Orders

Standing order templates

10 Steps to Implement a Standing Order for Immunization Services - this handy resource will walk you through all the necessary steps of implementing a standing order. By the end, you will be set to immunize with your standing order.

Using Standing Orders: What You Should Know - answers all of your questions related to standing orders. Do standing orders need to be renewed? What are the elements of a standing order? What should be done with the standing order after they have been signed?

State and Local Health Departments

Local Health Department Directory

Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) Toolkit

City and State Immunization Programs - Find your city or your state's immunization page for useful information.

Local Employers

Establish relationships with local employers to offer flu clinics in the fall.

Community Events

Leverage community events to set up a vaccine clinic. 

Immunization Information Systems (IIS)

Immunization Information Systems (IIS), otherwise known as immunization registries, are state, city or territory-wide databases of patient vaccination records. Administered vaccines should be documented in your local IIS. In fact, reporting to a registry may be mandated by state law. IIS can also be queried to look up a patient's vaccination history to determine whether or not they are eligible to receive certain vaccines. 

• Contacts for state and local IIS

VaccineFinder

VaccineFinder is a free, online resource for patients and partners to search for locations offering vaccine services. This tool is utilized by the CDC during pandemic emergencies to identify partners for allocating vaccine supply. Register your pharmacy today.

Care planning

Flip the Pharmacy - Patient Encounter Form

Navigating the World of Vaccine Billing

Reimbursement for Service of Administering Vaccines, From an Independent Pharmacy Perspective

Order hard-copy schedules for your pharmacy. 

Download the “CDC Vaccine Schedules” app for free. Available for both Android and Apple.

Recommended vaccines by disease (CDC)

Information and handouts about vaccines (IAC)

Almost all states require pharmacists, pharmacist interns, and in some cases technicians, to be certified in vaccine delivery. 

• Pharmacy-Based Immunization Delivery
• CPR or BLS
• OSHA bloodborne pathogen training

Certain states require a number of continuing education hours specific to vaccination to ensure professional development and for license renewal. 

• Vaccine education available on NCPA Learn
• CDC's You Call the Shots web-based training course

Take this free 1-hour CE course from the CDC for a refresher on vaccine administration techniques and best practices. 

Download this free handout from IAC with information on dose, route, site and needle size. 

FAQs on Shared Clinical Decision Making - ACIP Recommendations

What is vaccine confidence?

Vaccine confidence is the trust that parents, patients, or providers have in:

• recommended vaccines;
• providers who administer vaccines; and
• processes and policies that lead to vaccine development, licensure, manufacturing, and recommendations for use

CDC Vaccinate with Confidence

Talking to parents about vaccines

Vaccine confidence resources from IAC

• Decision not to vaccinate my child form

CDC Vaccine Safety Information

Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS)

National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program

This online toolkit was designed to provide comprehensive information for starting and running an effective pharmacy-based vaccination program. We tried to keep it simple and streamlined, but if you are looking for more, there are plenty of additional resources available. 

• APhA Immunization Center
• CDC Vaccines & Immunizations
• Flip the Pharmacy Immunization Change Package
• Immunization Action Coalition (IAC)
• National Adult Immunization Plan
• National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO)
• Association of State and Territorial Health Officials (ASTHO)
• Association of Immunization Managers (AIM)
• American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA)