Changing the way doctors practice medicine is difficult, however a new study has shown that combining traditional education with quality improvement and incentives improves human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates in boys and girls. The study, which appears online in the journal Vaccine, has the potential to produce sustained improvements in these vaccination rates.
Every year, approximately three million Americans seek treatment for HPV related diseases. Twenty-seven thousand Americans develop HPV-related cancer while more than 5,000 people die from this disease. HPV vaccines have the potential to prevent up to 70 percent of cancers caused by the virus, but fewer than half of adolescents have gotten all three required vaccinations.
In this study, researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) used a multi-component Performance Improvement Continuing Medical Education (PI CME) intervention approach which consisted of repeated contacts, focused education and individualized feedback with physicians. They also provided the physicians the incentive of completing new medical specialty board certification. The intervention was performed in two federally qualified health centers while six other centers in the same healthcare network served as controls. The researchers found that providers were almost twice as likely to vaccinate girls and 10 times more likely to vaccinate boys at intervention compared to control health centers
Recent research emphasizes the importance of providers offering the HPV vaccine at every opportunity, and this study demonstrates the ability of a provider-centered multi-component PI CME intervention to create sustained improvement in HPV vaccination rates.
"Right now, too many Americans suffer from HPV-related cancers. These should be considered vaccine-preventable diseases. Physicians have largely eliminated other vaccine-preventable diseases by working hard to vaccinate all their patients--we hope this intervention will help to improve HPV vaccination rates for our young people," explains corresponding author Rebecca Perkins, MD, MSc, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at BUSM and a gynecologist at Boston Medical Center.
The researchers believe that by blending multi-component continuing medical education with routine data collection using electronic medical records, and leveraging requirements for maintaining board certification, this model has the potential for widespread adoption.
"National data indicate that many boys and girls are not getting HPV vaccines that they should have to prevent cancer-- and lack of provider recommendation is the main reason. We hope to be able to disseminate this education program to other health systems to improve HPV vaccination rates," she adds.
Source: Boston University School of Medicine
The Next Frontier in Infection Control: AI-Driven Operating Rooms
Published: July 15th 2025 | Updated: July 15th 2025Discover how AI-powered sensors, smart surveillance, and advanced analytics are revolutionizing infection prevention in the OR. Herman DeBoard, PhD, discusses how these technologies safeguard sterile fields, reduce SSIs, and help hospitals balance operational efficiency with patient safety.
Targeting Uncertainty: Why Pregnancy May Be the Best Time to Build Vaccine Confidence
July 15th 2025New national survey data reveal high uncertainty among pregnant individuals—especially first-time parents—about vaccinating their future children, underscoring the value of proactive engagement to strengthen infection prevention.
CDC Urges Vigilance: New Recommendations for Monitoring and Testing H5N1 Exposures
July 11th 2025With avian influenza A(H5N1) infections surfacing in both animals and humans, the CDC has issued updated guidance calling for aggressive monitoring and targeted testing to contain the virus and protect public health.
IP LifeLine: Layoffs and the Evolving Job Market Landscape for Infection Preventionists
July 11th 2025Infection preventionists, once hailed as indispensable during the pandemic, now face a sobering reality: budget pressures, hiring freezes, and layoffs are reshaping the field, leaving many IPs worried about their future and questioning their value within health care organizations.