MONROE - Monroe Clinic announced that Lori Plenge, pediatric LPN, has been named Wisconsin's 2017 CDC Childhood Immunization Champion.
The award from the CDC and CDC Foundation honors individuals who have made significant contributions in improving public health through their work in childhood immunizations.
Early in her 32 years as a pediatric LPN, Plenge witnessed unnecessary suffering as the result of missed vaccinations, according to a news release. She's focused her career by preventing illness by increasing patient communication about missed vaccinations.
As a lead member of the Green County Immunization Coalition, she partners with Green County public health leaders and encourages other clinics to participate in the coalition. She proactively educates the parents of pediatric patients and answers questions concerning vaccinations.
Plenge's vaccine advocacy has helped increase the 24-month vaccination rate from 75.74 percent in 2013 to 81.50 percent in 2015, according to the release. In addition, the county's tdap and polio vaccine rates meet the Healthy People 2020 goal to have at least 90 percent of the population vaccinated. Green County also excels in other vaccine series rates above other rural counties and even has higher rates than some neighboring urban counties, according to the release.
Southern Wisconsin Immunization Consortium coordinator Ann Lewandowski said that in addition to saving lives, vaccine compliance reduces the costs affiliated with health care, as it lowers the number of patients being treated or hospitalized with preventable diseases. She added that Plenge also is saving families time and expenses because vaccinated children elevate daycare and school enrollment issues.
The award from the CDC and CDC Foundation honors individuals who have made significant contributions in improving public health through their work in childhood immunizations.
Early in her 32 years as a pediatric LPN, Plenge witnessed unnecessary suffering as the result of missed vaccinations, according to a news release. She's focused her career by preventing illness by increasing patient communication about missed vaccinations.
As a lead member of the Green County Immunization Coalition, she partners with Green County public health leaders and encourages other clinics to participate in the coalition. She proactively educates the parents of pediatric patients and answers questions concerning vaccinations.
Plenge's vaccine advocacy has helped increase the 24-month vaccination rate from 75.74 percent in 2013 to 81.50 percent in 2015, according to the release. In addition, the county's tdap and polio vaccine rates meet the Healthy People 2020 goal to have at least 90 percent of the population vaccinated. Green County also excels in other vaccine series rates above other rural counties and even has higher rates than some neighboring urban counties, according to the release.
Southern Wisconsin Immunization Consortium coordinator Ann Lewandowski said that in addition to saving lives, vaccine compliance reduces the costs affiliated with health care, as it lowers the number of patients being treated or hospitalized with preventable diseases. She added that Plenge also is saving families time and expenses because vaccinated children elevate daycare and school enrollment issues.