Florida SHOTS™: Keeping SHOTS in Check

Q: I am thinking of enrolling in Florida SHOTS but I don’t know if I have time to enter stacks of records for our existing patients. Is there a more efficient way to enter historical records?

A: The quickest way is through data upload, which allows you to export historical records from your current software and upload them to the registry in bulk. But if your office can’t do data upload at this time, don’t worry! Keep in mind that many health-care providers use Florida SHOTS, and your patients’ existing records may already be in the system and ready to be updated with additional vaccinations given by your practice.

Some offices actively focus on an age group for data entry, say 0-2 years of age, since these children most frequently receive shots and updated DH 680 forms. You may also wish to pull charts for children who have appointments the next day and enter or update their vaccination records in Florida SHOTS so that you will be ready when the patient arrives.

The quickest, easiest way to input previously given vaccinations is on the historical shot entry screen. Then flag charts that have been entered with a Florida SHOTS “I’m registered” sticker so that you know the record is already in Florida SHOTS and you only need to update the record with the vaccinations given that day.

If your office uses Medenet software, you can implement data upload. Here’s how:

1. Contact either Charles Gaudreau (727-823-2188, cgaudreau1@medenet.net) or Ericka Merrill
   (727-823-2188, erim@medenet.net) at Medenet to order the Florida SHOTS immunization interface.
2. Contact Holly Graff, Florida SHOTS Implementation Specialist at 904-755-5167, or Holly_Graff@doh.state.fl.us in order to complete the forms to receive a secure ftp site from Florida SHOTS.

Immunization data will be uploaded automatically to Florida SHOTS on a daily basis.

Florida SHOTS is growing and expanding in reach, services, and capabilities. Over the past year, Florida SHOTS has introduced a blog, H1N1 vaccination ordering, and much more.

Our popular eTracker is now available in Spanish. Both Spanish and English versions can be downloaded at www.flshots.com/resources.

At Florida SHOTS, we work hard to get you the help you need, when you need it. That’s why we’ve created a new version of the Florida SHOTS Quick Tips guide specifically for view-only accounts (and made it available in Spanish)!

These guides give you quick access to our most frequently asked questions surrounding the following topics:

• Logging in
• Forgotten Password
• Main Menu Functions
• Entering Vaccines (for full-access accounts only)
• D.H. Form 680
• Adding & Deleting Personnel

Quick Tips guides for full-access accounts have been created in English and Spanish as well. A complete user guide and Web-based training can be located under “Customer Support” from the registry’s sidebar menu. You may want to print out a copy of the user guide for easy reference. Free web-based training is available 24 hours a day.