Programs & Tools:

Recommended Core Data Set

What are the core data items?

The original Immunization Information Systems (IIS) core data items were prepared in 1995 by the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD) in consultation with the Immunization Grantee Working Group. It was reviewed by the National Vaccine Advisory Committee (NVAC), and recommendations of NVAC were incorporated. Contributions were also made by public health representatives and private providers. On February 5, 2007 NVAC approved a new set of core data items which were developed in consultation with CDC and the American Immunization Registry Association. The data items were published in the complete 2007 NVAC report [DOC-1.04MB/38 pages]

The Journal of Public Health Management and Practice published a summary of the complete report in the November/December 2007 edition.

The core data items fall into two categories: required and optional. These elements represent fundamental attributes necessary for identifying individuals and for describing immunization events. Required elements are critical for record exchange purposes, client de duplication, vaccine management, immunization status evaluation, reminder / recall and data analysis or use purposes. Optional core data elements are less important for record exchange. Some optional items (e.g., address) may be useful only at the local level.

The purpose of the core data element is to facilitate record exchange between IIS. It is imperative that, at a minimum, each IIS include in its database schema a method to receive and store all of the required core data elements, even if the IIS does not routinely collect the information. Thus, if an IIS receives a record from one system and subsequently transfers it to another, no required core data elements will be lost in the process. It is strongly recommended that IIS also collect data on all of the required core data elements for their own patients. Prospective implementation should begin on or before January 1, 2009 to enhance completeness and value of IIS data.

References for specific guidance on implementation can be found at the following locations:

The current Health Level 7 Immunization Guide: contains both messaging details and coding definitions, the current copy applies version 2.3.1 of the Health Level 7 standard [PDF-1.60MB/147pages]

An electronic version of the IIS Codebook can be found in the AIRA Publications section of the American Immunization Registry Association web site.

Listing of Core Data Items

Label	Status (Required/Optional)
Patient name: first, middle, last	Required
Patient alias name: first, middle, last	Optional
Patient address, phone number	Optional
Birthing facility	Optional
Patient Social Security number (SSN)	Optional
Patient birth date	Required
Patient sex	Required
**Patient race	Required
**Patient ethnicity	Required
Patient Primary language	Optional
**Patient birth order	Required
Patient birth registration number	Optional
Patient birth State/country	Required
Patient Medicaid number	Optional
Mother’s name: First, middle, last, maiden	Required
Mother’s SSN	Optional
Father’s name: first, middle, last	Optional
Father’s SSN	Optional
Vaccine Type	Required
Vaccine Manufacturer	Required
Vaccine dose number	Optional
Vaccine expiration date	Optional
Vaccine injection site	Optional
Vaccination date	Required
Vaccine lot number	Required
Vaccine provider	Optional
**Historical vaccination flag indicator	Optional
**VFC eligibility	Optional
**History of varicella disease indicator	Optional
**Patient status indicators that include active, inactive, MOGE, and other classifications	Optional

** Changes with the 2007 report.

Other Notes and References:

• Patient alias name: first, middle, last (former names for management of adoptions and name changes)
• Patient address, phone number, birthing facility (these variables should be locally defined)

Immunization Event Identifiers

Vaccine type

(Use HL7-defined Table 0292 - Vaccines Administered (code=CVX) found in Appendix 1. Note that up-to-date versions of this table will be maintained on the CDC Vaccines & Immunizations website.

Vaccine Manufacturer

(Use HL7-defined Table 0227 - Manufacturers of vaccines (code=MVX) found in Appendix 1. Note that up-to-date versions of this table will be maintained on the CDC Vaccines & Immunizations website.

Vaccine dose number

With a fully operating system, this variable is not needed. However, in the real world, and particularly during the initial startup phase, many systems will be gathering partial histories; therefore, to evaluate histories properly, dose number becomes very important.

Each of the variables listed in the above table are described in detail at the following locations.

The current Health Level 7 Immunization Guide [PDF-1.60MB/147pages] contains both messaging details and coding definitions, the current copy applies version 2.3.1 of the Health Level 7 standard.

An electronically accessible version of the codes [XLS-224 KB/65 pages] can be found on the American Immunization Registry Association website.

Accessibility Note: Due to the content of these documents, they are provided as .pdf files. If you need text-only formatted files for screen-reader devices, please contact NIPINFO@cdc.gov.

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