Vaccine Personnel

All VFC provider sites must designate a Medical Director (or equivalent), a primary vaccine coordinator, and at least one back-up vaccine coordinator (in the event that the primary coordinator is unavailable). The Medical Director (or equivalent) is responsible for signing the Provider Agreement.

The primary vaccine coordinator and back-up must personally complete the following vaccine management activities or ensure the tasks are completed by other designated staff members:

Training and Communication

  • Read and be familiar with the information in the VFC Provider Agreement, the Vaccine Management Plan, resource materials posted on the NYS VFC website, and any other communications sent from the NYS Vaccine Program via mail or email.
  • Serve as the provider's contact for the NYS VFC Program, including during site visits.
  • Participate in training on Vaccine Program requirements.
  • Train all staff at the practice on proper vaccine handling and storage.
  • Obtain and maintain a New York State Immunization Information System (NYSIIS) account and complete required reporting in NYSIIS. Refer to section NYSIIS Requirements for VFC reporting.
  • Ensure that all necessary documentation and reporting is properly completed, including, but not limited to, eligibility screening and doses administered reporting. Doses administered must be reported in NYSIIS within two weeks of administration.
  • Keep the physician informed of Vaccine Program requirements and all compliance issues.
  • Notify the NYS Vaccine Program immediately if there are changes at the practice (such as a change in the primary or back-up vaccine coordinator, practice name change, practice is moving to a new location, practice is being sold, physician is retiring, practice is merging with another practice or becoming part of a larger organization, patient profile changes etc.).

Training Requirements

All VFC Trainings are located on the New York State Learning Management System (LMS): Learning Management System (nylearnsph.com).

The NYS Vaccine Program has developed 14 online trainings to help inform providers on various aspects of the NYS VFC Program and Storage and Handling best practices and program requirements.

  • Existing providers must complete five trainings annually. The Vaccine Program will set annual training completion deadlines which will be communicated via email and webinar. Staff in practices already enrolled in the VFC program should complete the 5 trainings indicated by an X in the column of the table below (Trainings #2, #4, #9, #10, #11). You can enroll in all required courses by choosing "2025 NYS VFC Trainings - Annual Training for Existing Providers" from the Program Catalog in the Learning Management System (LMS).
  • Newly enrolling VFC providers must complete trainings as a part of their initial enrollment. Practices that are newly enrolling in the VFC Program should complete all 14 trainings as indicated by an X in the column of the table below. Whenever a change in key VFC staff occurs such as a new Medical Director (or equivalent), primary, or back-up vaccine coordinator, the newly-hired staff person must complete all 14 trainings below. You can enroll in all required courses by choosing "2025 NYS VFC Trainings - Required for newly enrolling providers AND changes in staff" from the Program Catalog in the Learning Management System (LMS).
  • IMPORTANT: After watching the recorded training videos, please be sure return to the Learning Management System (LMS) "My Courses" area to complete the quiz assigned to each training in order to receive your completion certificate. Be sure to also maintain training completion certificates provided from the NYS Learning Management System at your site.
LMS Training # Training Title Newly Enrolling Providers/Change In Staff Annual Training for Existing Providers
NYSVFC-01 VFC Program Background, Personnel and Training X
NYSVFC-02 VFC Provider Requirements X X
NYSVFC-03 Vaccine Management Plans X
NYSVFC-04 The Vaccine Cold Chain X X
NYSVFC-05 Selecting Vaccine Storage Units X
NYSVFC-06 Setting up Vaccine Storage Units X
NYSVFC-07 Selecting Temperature Monitoring Equipment X
NYSVFC-08 Temperature Monitoring Device Calibration X
NYSVFC-09 Monitoring Vaccine Storage Unit Temperatures, Reporting Excursions, and Vaccine Transport X X
NYSVFC-10 Managing Vaccine Inventory X X
NYSVFC-11 Vaccine Orders X X
NYSVFC-12 Accepting Vaccine Deliveries X
NYSVFC-13 Vaccine Returns and Wastage X
NYSVFC-14 Vaccine Preparation X

Monitoring Vaccine Temperatures

  • Ensure that temperatures inside of vaccine storage units are checked and recorded daily.
  • Review vaccine temperature logs and downloaded data logger data on at least a biweekly basis, but preferably weekly.
  • Take immediate action if temperatures are outside of acceptable ranges, regardless of duration or alarm status, by submitting a Temperature Excursion Report to vaccinetempexcursion@health.ny.gov
  • Implement the vaccine emergency plan, if necessary.

Receiving/Ordering Vaccines

  • Be present when vaccine shipments are delivered and process vaccines into inventory.
  • Ensure that the cold chain for safe storage and handling of vaccines has been maintained.
  • Ensure the proper organizing and labeling of vaccine within the storage units, including the rotation of inventory to ensure that vaccine is used prior to expiration date and the clear separation of publicly-funded and privately-purchased vaccine. See Separation of Public and Private Vaccines.
  • Conduct periodic physical inventory of all vaccines.
  • Place vaccine orders using the NYSIIS Vaccine Ordering module.