Why Aren't More Pediatricians Utilizing Standing Orders for Vaccinations?

Standing orders for vaccinations (SOVs) enable nonphysician healthcare professionals to administer vaccines without direct involvement of a physician. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the use of SOVs to improve immunization rates, but uptake of this practice by pediatricians is unknown.

Using data from a 2017 nationally representative survey of AAP primary care pediatricians, investigators analyzed barriers and predictors associated with use of SOVs. Of the 79% (372 of 471) of pediatricians who responded, 59% reported using SOVs (36% for all vaccinations and 23% for some vaccinations).

The most common barriers to using SOVs included concern about wrong vaccine administration (68%), concern that patients want to speak with a…