JAMA   
April 25, 2012, Vol 307, No. 16, pp 1669-1766
http://jama.ama-assn.org/current.dtl

Editorials
Text Messaging: A New Tool for Improving Preventive Services
Peter G. Szilagyi, William G. Adams
JAMA. 2012;307(16):1748-1749.doi:10.1001/jama.2012.524

Extract
Prevention of influenza disease through vaccination is a public health challenge. Influenza disease causes substantial morbidity and mortality in children, adolescents, and adults; vaccination is the best method to prevent this disease. In light of the increasing understanding of the burden of influenza among children and adolescents and its spread from children to adults, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices expanded its influenza vaccination recommendations in 2008 to include all children and adolescents between 6 months and 18 years of age.1 More than 65 million children and adolescents should be vaccinated annually, usually within a short timeframe of several months when the vaccine is available. While influenza vaccination coverage nationwide has increased, it remains low—only about half of all children and adolescents are vaccinated.

In the United States, primary care practices bear the major burden of vaccinating children and adolescents, and because most do not have health care visits …