NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx has seen its immunization rates among children and adolescents rise from 84% in 2018 to 91% in 2025, thanks in large part to a series of quality improvement initiatives.
With 22,103 vaccine doses given to pediatric patients between 0 and 19 years of age, as well as 102,385 doses across all age groups, the North Central Bronx’s vaccination rate has grown to become level with national benchmarks. This also underscores the hospital’s key role as a frontline immunization resource in the North Bronx.
“Improving our vaccine rates has been a group effort,” North Central Bronx Hospital Attending Physician of the Pediatric Primary Care Clinic Dr. Jana Romm said.
“Pediatric providers, nursing staff and clerical teams are focused on outreach and education to bring patients in who are due for vaccines and then teach them about the importance of staying up to date. It is incredibly gratifying to know that thousands of children are protected from preventable diseases. It means that we are doing our jobs as pediatric providers.”
Among the improvements made that led to this growth are dedicated clerical staff for patient contact, increasing follow-up calls from three to six per patient and established digital tracking systems to replace paper-based processes.
Additionally, the adolescent program introduced HPV vaccination at age nine and physicians now consistently review their patient panels using Epic health maintenance tools to identify care gaps and guarantee timely immunization delivery. Standardized vaccine messaging and documentation procedures have also developed across all staff members and all clinics.
“By starting the HPV series at 9, we have more time to do education about all of the adolescent vaccines,” Dr. Romm said. “Most children in our practice are now up to date by age 11.”
North Central Bronx Hospital Attending Physician for Pediatric Residents Dr. Boris Mashalov said the increased vaccination rate can have a lot of positive impact on the community.
“Immunization is very crucial for the kids and the community, and that is why it is important to get the shots,” Dr. Mashalov said. “We are great at this. We assist the community and take them through the immunization process.”
These sustained vaccination rates come even with staffing shortages, some people not showing up for their appointments and an increasing number of families with vaccine hesitancy.
The clinical team devotes significant time listening to families’ concerns and attempting to educate them on vaccine safety and importance. NYC Health + Hospitals has also embedded evidence-based materials on frequently asked questions about vaccine safety into Epic to support thoughtful discussions between the family and providers.
“North Central Bronx Hospital is committed to its mission of providing comprehensive quality care to the children and adolescents of the community we serve,” North Central Bronx Hospital Chief Operating Officer Alfredo Jones said. “By creating healthy habits early in their lives, we strive to instill preventative behaviors that will carry on into adulthood.”
