Adolescent human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates well above national coverage rates were achieved through low-cost, system-wide standard procedures, including normalizing the HPV vaccine and avoiding missed opportunities for vaccination, a recent study found. The process for achieving high vaccination rates in the Denver Health system includes “bundling” of vaccines, offering vaccines at every visit, and standard orders. In this study, data from vaccine registry and utilization statistics were used to determine vaccination rates in adolescents aged 13 to 17 years from 2004 to 2014, with the finding compared with state and national rates for 2013. Researchers found:

• HPV coverage of ≥1 dose was 89.8% (female) and 89.3% (male) vs national rates of 57.3% and 34.6%, respectively, in 2013.
• Rates of HPV coverage ≥3 doses were 66.0% (female) and 52.3% (male) vs 37.6% and 13.9% nationally.
• Tetanus toxoid, reduced diphtheria toxoid, and acellular pertussis, adsorbed, vaccine coverage was 95.9% (86.0% nationally), and meningococcal conjugate vaccine coverage was 93.5% (77.8% nationally) for both sexes.
• Females, Hispanic subjects, non-English speaking subjects, and teenagers <200% below the federal poverty level were more likely to have received 3 doses of HPV.