The pediatric team at Mid-Columbia Medical Center is participating in the
Rural Adolescent Vaccine Enterprise (“RAVE”) project in conjunction
with Oregon Rural Practice-based Research Network (ORPRN) at Oregon Health
and Science University (OHSU) and the Oregon Immunization Program.
Over the next 18 months, MCMC Pediatrics, along with 44 other clinics in
Oregon, will lead a community-wide intervention project designed to improve
local adolescent immunization rates. This project aims to improve the
rate Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) vaccination in rural Oregon communities.
Widely used and recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
for over a decade, the HPV vaccine is safe and effective at preventing
cancer of the cervix, throat, mouth, and genitals. It is currently recommended
for all adolescents (boys and girls), starting as early as age nine. Despite
its proven effectiveness, its track record of safety, and its universal
coverage by insurance, only 33 percent of adolescents in Oregon completed
the series by their 13th birthday last year. The RAVE research team aims
to improve upon this rate by supporting local primary care clinics to
lead change within their communities.
“At MCMC Pediatrics, we have made huge strides in helping to prevent
cancer,” said pediatrician Dr. Sara McCaffrey. “Our vaccine
rates against HPV are one of the highest in rural Oregon, but we want
to do even better. That is why we enrolled in the RAVE project –
to help protect more patients from cancer. We look forward to doing our
part to help children lead long, healthy lives.”
The Rural Adolescent Vaccine Enterprise (RAVE) project launched in July
2018. RAVE, led by Oregon Health Science University Principal Investigators
L.J. Fagnan, MD and Patty Carney, PhD, and is funded by the American Cancer
Society. The whole project goes through June 2023.
About MCMC
Founded in 1901 and located in The Dalles, Mid-Columbia Medical Center
is a nationally recognized hospital dedicated to serving residents of
The Dalles and its surrounding communities. For more information, visit
mcmc.net and follow on Facebook at
facebook.com/mcmchealth.