The Allegheny County Health Department’s (ACHD) Immunization Clinic has introduced a new online self-scheduling option for patients. The clinic is now using MyChart, which allows users to schedule titer checks, travel consultations, and immunization appointments.
MyChart is a free app and online tool used locally by Allegheny Health Network (AHN) and its providers. Patients can sign up for MyChart at mychart.ahn.org. Click on “Sign up now” on the right-hand side of the webpage to create an account. Once a patient has a MyChart account, or if they already have an existing account, they can select the ACHD’s Immunization Clinic and the type of appointment they need.
Similar to visiting a health care provider’s office, patients input personal and medical information into an online form for their upcoming visit.
“At the clinic, we continuously seek ways to improve the patient experience,” said ACHD Deputy Director for Clinical Services Dr. Barbara Nightingale. “Our new self-scheduling tool will reduce or eliminate the time spent on paperwork, allowing patients to see our nurses faster.”
Allegheny County, with its numerous health care providers and educational institutions for health care workers, often requires proof of immunization, known as a titer test, from those in clinical settings. The clinic administers approximately 200 titer tests annually.
International travel can increase the risk of contracting diseases rare or not found in the United States. About 10 percent of all Immunization Clinic visits are for travel consultations, offering vaccines like yellow fever and typhoid.
The Immunization Clinic primarily offers immunization services ranging from influenza to COVID-19 to tetanus, with more than 20 different vaccines available.
“The addition of the self-scheduling tool will enable clinical staff to provide more on-site patient support and other services, such as animal bite surveillance, vaccine follow-up calls, and answering medical queries that arise daily,” added Nightingale.
The ACHD’s Immunization Clinic annually sees approximately 9,000 patients.