CDC Best Practices for Vaccinating Upon Discharge

Please see CDC guidance regarding vaccine Eligibility and Best Practices below, to determine if a patient should receive COVID-19 Vaccine vaccine upon discharge:

Vaccine Eligbility:

• Patients who are not moderately or severely ill and are being discharged from hospital admission, 24-hour observation, or an ED or UC visit may be vaccinated. Patients with current COVID-19 infection should defer vaccination until they have met criteria to discontinue isolation.
• If the patient is a minor, providers are to follow all state laws regarding consent of minors for vaccination

Best Practices for Vaccinating Upon Discharge:

• Assess vaccination status at triage, in the patient’s medical history, and during medication reconciliation by asking patient, checking electronic medical/health records, and linking with the jurisdiction’s immunization information system (IIS)
• Address vaccine hesitancy with all patients and those that accompany them as part of routine practice
• Strongly encourage and offer vaccination to all eligible patients and any friends or family who are accompanying them
• Consider using a pharmacist assigned to the facility to help with medication management to support confirming vaccination status before vaccination
• Utilize personnel not involved in the direct care of the patient, if available, to administer vaccines if the department is very busy and it would help work flow
• Offer vaccination services either at bedside or in special vaccination areas during discharge process
• Encourage patients to enroll in v-safe
• Document receipt and/or refusal in chart and IIS
• Complete and provide a COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card to the patient and print out a list of the vaccination(s) given, particularly for patients being transferred/discharged to rehab, long-term care, or psychiatric facilities
• Arrange for second dose appointment, if applicable
• Place patients in the waiting area for the 15-minute observation period after vaccination is complete to assist in improved flow and reduction of crowding

Thank you for keeping Philadelphia safe and healthy from COVID-19. If you have any questions, please email vaccines@phila.gov.