VFC Definitions of Site Visits and Contacts

A formal visit to a VFC-enrolled provider site for the purpose of evaluating the provider's compliance with the VFC program requirements. This evaluation relies on the completion of the most current VFC Site Visit Questionnaire. The VFC Site Visit Questionnaire requires the VFC staff to evaluate the following components of vaccine management:

1. Appropriate vaccine handling, storage and ordering procedures. This includes a physical inspection of refrigeration units, temperature measuring devices, daily temperature recording, vaccine accountability, procedures for vaccine retrieval and storage in times of emergencies, and inventory management, including stock rotation to prevent outdating.
2. Proper documentation of children's VFC eligibility status. This involves sampling patient records to ensure appropriate screening (e.g., those in the Medicaid program, uninsured, Alaska Native/American Indian, or underinsured), and the administration of VFC-purchased vaccines only to VFC-eligible children.
3. Compliance with documentation and record retention requirements. This includes distribution of current Vaccine Information Statements and maintaining records in accordance with the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act.
4. Compliance with other program requirements. This includes not charging for the cost of the vaccine, not charging a vaccine administration fee that is higher than the maximum fee established by the state, and agreeing not to deny vaccinations because of the parent's inability to pay a vaccine administration fee.

Defined as any contact made with a VFC-enrolled provider to review progress towards correcting a problem identified during the most recent VFC site visit that was not significant enough to enroll the provider into secondary or tertiary education follow-up.

Defined as a special visit to the provider's office to perform an educational in-service (e.g., to discuss recent changes to the immunization schedule). An educational visit is separate from VFC site visits or AFIX visits, which already incorporate an educational component. Select only if educational visit purpose is not related to an identified VFC compliance issue.

Defined as a contact with a provider who was identified with VFC compliance issues and enrolled in Secondary Education program and this follow-up is part of the Secondary Education program. The follow-up contact may be in form of a site visit or other contact like phone, e-mail or fax. Considered epidemiologically linked to a laboratory-confirmed case if at least one case in the chain of transmission is laboratory confirmed.