Introduction

An overview of the vaccination journey

Vaccination coordination is facing daunting challenges. Citizens are expected to navigate an array of websites and health authorities are using disconnected health IT systems. Reporting lags by several days. Following up with vaccinated subjects to monitor side effects is difficult. The systems to monitor ineffective batches of vaccines are yet to become mature. Vaccine verifications documents are prone to fraud.

We developed a modification of today's vaccination cards to add 4 signed QR Codes to manage the user journey. The separate QR Codes are intended to decouple the health information (PHI) and personally identifiable information (PII) as well as separate the eligibility verification from the vaccination itself. The card dramatically simplifies phased vaccinations, second dose coordination, reporting of side effects, and credentials while allowing fully privacy-centered systems. It also creates data-rich monitoring of vaccination progress while eliminating red tape, privacy concerns, and fraud. It is ideally suited for vulnerable populations, rural areas, labor unions of essential workers, and employers helping their own employees.

Patient Vaccination Journey

The patient journey goes through 3 major stages:

1. Eligibility Check/Scheduling: Vaccination coupon QR codes are distributed to everyone by the appropriate regional vaccination administrator. This can be done either with paper vaccination cards, by SMS, using a website, or downloading an application. The coupon code behaves as a User ID for the entire vaccination flow.

2. User Check-in: At the vaccination site, the patient arrives and their vaccination coupon is scanned and their eligibility and appointment are verified.

3. Vaccination Certificate: Once the vaccination is administered, the patient receives another QR code in the form of a sticker. This QR code, a badge, indicates the vaccination was administered providing “proof” of vaccination along with other important information.

The 4 QR Codes designed for vaccinations procedures create a possibility of selective disclosure of health information by choosing which one to show at any point in time.

The Coupon QR Code

The distribution of a vaccination coupon signifies the beginning of the vaccination process. When everyone is given a vaccination coupon the fear and anxiety around the vaccination process and when and if someone will be vaccinated is alleviated. By starting the patient journey with the distribution of the vaccination coupon, everyone has more peace of mind with the knowledge that they are on the list to be vaccinated, and that they can play an active role in the process. The coupon only has information about the vaccination phase this user has been approved for and nothing else.

The Badge QR Code(s)

The badges contain information about the vaccination itself. Each badge QR code is a full health record for a single vaccination event, including vaccine brand, dosage, site, etc. It is signed by the vaccination provider and serves as a Verifiable Credential informing that the user in the badge was vaccinated under those conditions. If the User receives multiple doses, there will be one badge per dose. These QR Codes should be shown when the User goes to see their Primary Care Provider or other health care professional needing to see the details of the vaccination procedure(s).

The Passkey QR Code

The PassKey contains personally identifiable information. It's what links all other QR Codes to the person. A hash of the signed PassKey is used as an identifier on the other QR Codes.

The Status QR Code

The Status QR Code contains only one field: vaccinated or not. This QR Code is ideal to use as a check-in credential that verifies the user has been vaccinated, without revealing anymore more information about the vaccine or the user itself.