Group Health Physician John Dunn Receives Federal Recognition for Contributions to Childhood Immunizations

John Dunn, MD, chair of immunizations, assistant medical director of preventive care, and board-certified pediatrician at Group Health Cooperative, has been named Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Childhood Immunization Champion for his outstanding efforts to promote childhood immunizations in Washington state.

Throughout his career, Dr. Dunn has supported immunization in his pediatric practice at Group Health and across the state. He promotes universal immunization to state political leaders, conducts research on vaccine hesitancy at Vax Northwest, and is a leader for various state-wide initiatives, including the Washington Vaccine Association and the Vaccine Advisory Committee.

“Immunizations are one of the most effective ways we protect the health of our children, and Dr. Dunn’s efforts to increase access to information and vaccines among families, policy makers and community leaders throughout the state are not only admirable, they are imperative,” said Scott Armstrong, president and CEO of Group Health Cooperative. “Dr. Dunn is dedicated to improving vaccination rates among children and families in Washington, and we are proud that his regional work to ensure more kids receive their vaccinations is receiving national recognition.”

Each year during National Infant Immunization Week, CDC and the CDC Foundation honor health professionals and community leaders from around the country with the CDC Childhood Immunization Champion awards. These awards acknowledge the outstanding efforts of those individuals who strive to ensure that children in their communities are fully immunized against 14 preventable diseases before the age of two.

“Ensuring that every child is vaccinated on schedule is critical to protecting our children, schools, and communities from outbreaks of serious diseases,” said Dr. Amanda Cohn, a pediatrician at CDC and the Executive Secretary of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. “We could not achieve our goal of protecting children without those committed individuals who promote immunizations at the state and local levels.”

CDC Childhood Immunization Champions were selected from a pool of health professionals, coalition members, community advocates, and other immunization leaders. State Immunization Programs coordinated the nomination process and submitted nominees to CDC. One winner was selected in each of the participating states and the District of Columbia.

For profiles of Dr. Dunn and other CDC Childhood Immunization Champion award winners, visit www.cdc.gov/vaccines/champions.

For information about childhood vaccines and additional resources, visit www.ghc.org.

About Group Health Cooperative

Group Health Cooperative offers a unique health care system, care delivery and insurance coverage, in order to achieve one goal – affordable, quality health care for all. Our innovative practices at 25 medical centers and within major Washington hospitals have earned national recognition for medical quality, disease prevention, and evidence-based treatments. These priorities have remained the same since we began serving patients in 1947. As a nonprofit organization, Group Health helps nearly 600,000 patients throughout Washington state achieve better health. Our focus on preventive care, combined with medical education, a charitable foundation and a nationally recognized research institute, advances health in the community in a way no one else can. Group Health supports events, programs, and organizations that share this commitment to strengthening health in our communities. For more information about Group Health, visit www.ghc.org.

About National Infant Immunization Week

National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW) is an annual observance to highlight the importance of protecting infants from vaccine-preventable diseases and to celebrate the achievements of immunization programs in promoting healthy communities throughout the United States. Each year, during NIIW, communities across the U.S. celebrate the CDC Childhood Immunization Champions. These award recipients are being recognized for the important contributions they have made to public health through their work in childhood immunization.

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