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A Eureka For Operations

 Planning for a future pandemic requires commitment to present-day personal improvement in vaccine management. 

Operations that create efficient, streamlined vaccination record-keeping improve management, production, distribution predictions and planning. Here are three ways the world should support WHO and its partnerships as they strive for efficiency in vaccination record-keeping.


Privacy

Technology that creates local record-keeping for vaccinations is already in place. Many countries have medical records from various health corporations, and these records should not be viewed as one-offs. They are vulnerable to online risk and they are a part of large healthcare networks, accessible by many. The public is already exposed to digital record-keeping in massive doses. Many countries have national vaccination record-keeping and some states in the US do as well. Discussions around privacy and a digital vaccine record for pandemics should be honest about where we already are. Non-invasive unique identifiers and other considerations could be applied to respect privacy while advancing technology for vaccination. Privacy laws should consider emergent record-keeping of minimal information in wording. Public messaging should be open, honest and direct.

Privacy issues will affect the perception of autonomy as well as reactionary individual decision-making, so getting privacy right secures autonomy for improvement.


Autonomy

Autonomy in vaccine decision-making supports rights, legitimizes scientific trust and contributes to threatened immunity goals. Autonomy is complex and it is a priority. 

Advancing record-keeping for vaccines should respect autonomy for inclusion. Advancing record-keeping should consider less scale if public health policies circumvent individual autonomy. Autonomy policies and emergent public health emergencies should be mindful of and inclusive of technology in record-keeping.  National working groups should turn attention to this sooner rather than later, for ease and roll out if necessary. Autonomy requires reading levels to message with the perception of honesty. 

It doesn't matter if the science and specialists believe they are being open and honest. It matters that the words they say are understood with perception of honesty. This is a concept true of every stage of vaccination and we need to get it right for record-keeping as well.


Practicality

Practicality with implementation should require interoperability working groups as well as innovation in hand-held, transportable field technology. Practicality should consider policies inclusive of privacy and autonomy yet also in community systems. Where can record-keeping be required, stored, flexible and/or managed? Can individuals participate in digital self-set up prior to dispense? Can communities be mandated to have a responsible department or party? Should there be a minimum to labor requirements that support digital record-keeping in these operations? Are there interoperability capabilities beyond current consideration that connect private and public partners? Will interoperability reach school systems?  



Vaccinations are already lessened with politics and dismissal of science. Getting operations right on record-keeping must respect the fragility of the topic. Simplifying considerations for operational improvements should be initiated now, with post COVID-19 evaluation and correction.

Major kudos to Estonia, WHO and other countries working on vaccination record-keeping. Let's encourage worldwide support inclusive of privacy, autonomy and practicality. 


Ref: https://www.euro.who.int/en/countries/estonia/news/news/2020/10/estonia-and-who-to-work-together-on-digital-health-and-innovation

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