What is the Michigan Care Improvement Registry?

In 1997, the originally named Michigan Childhood Immunization Registry (MCIR), was created as a strategy to increase the immunization levels of children in Michigan. The goal was to provide a reliable, easily accessible software tool which consolidates immunization records for children for the entire state.

From the beginning, MCIR was designed to be implemented to local communities while providing access to all immunization providers, both public and private, anywhere in the state. MCIR is populated using birth data submitted from the state's electronic birth certificate system, which originates in the birthing hospital. MCIR records are updated with health information including immunization records submitted by healthcare providers.

While MCIR is a single database accessible through a secure web page, there are six regions across the state that are responsible for communicating with providers, providing technical assistance and developing procedures and protocols through their own governance boards. This decentralized approach has helped establish local ownership with a more receptive buy-in from public and private providers. The registry has been welcomed by health care professionals who recognize the value of having immunization records in a single location, no matter where a child receives vaccines.

MCIR's numerous benefits include: Providing assessments and printouts of a child's immunization record, as well as due dates for the next recommended vaccines Assisting managed care organizations with The Health Plan Employer Data and Information Set (HEDIS) reporting Generating recall notices to the parents or guardians of children who are past due for recommended immunizations

In addition, the MCIR vaccine inventory module (VIM) assists providers in managing vaccine inventory, thus increasing efficiency in providers' offices.

In 2006, the Michigan Public Health Code was modified to allow MCIR to collect immunization information on individuals of any age. Since it was becoming a lifespan registry, its name was changed to the Michigan Care Improvement Registry, retaining the MCIR acronym. Another important change to the Public Health Code was that it allowed MCIR to interoperate with other public health data. Since MCIR has over 30,000 users, making additional public health data available to better manage patient care is critical to improving health care in Michigan.

Since that time, MCIR has undergone many changes, and it now provides benefits that weren't even thought of 15 years ago. MCIR has integrated lead, early hearing and detection intervention (EHDI), newborn screening (NBS) and Early Periodic Screening Diagnosis and Treatment (EPSDT) results for providers to access, and has recently implemented Body Mass Index (BMI) clinical decision support for providers in Michigan. In addition, sickle cell case reporting is managed through MCIR.

MCIR has also been enhanced so it has the ability to track vaccines and biologics to be used in an emergency situation. In a public health emergency such as pandemic influenza, the MCIR All Hazards module serves a useful role in tracking persons vaccinated and/or provided prophylaxis as a result of an emergency.

The purpose of MCIR is not merely to be a warehouse for immunization records. Rather, the ultimate goal is that MCIR can be a tool used to assure that all individuals are vaccinated on time. We wish to thank Michigan physicians and health care providers for your role in making MCIR an integral part of providing immunizations in our state. Our registry wouldn't be a nationally-recognized success without your continued commitment to using MCIR in your practices to improve health care for Michigan families.