PREPARED BY: Immunization

DATE: 2026-06-25

The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) is responsible for the distribution of publicly funded vaccines to over 330 vaccine providers across Windsor and Essex County (WEC), including primary care offices, hospitals, long-term care homes, retirement homes, and community healthcare agencies. Historically, vaccine orders were submitted to the WECHU by fax or email and processed manually, a workflow that was time-consuming, prone to transcription errors, and offered providers limited visibility into the status of their orders. 

To modernize this process, the WECHU developed a new online Vaccine Ordering System (VOS). The VOS is built using M-Files, the WECHU’s organizational file management software to support a more efficient, accurate, and transparent ordering experience for WEC providers and WECHU staff.

DISCUSSION

The VOS is a secure, web-based platform that allows authorized provider staff to submit, track, and manage vaccine orders in real time from any internet-connected device. The system offers several benefits over the previous manual process, including faster order processing and improved turnaround times, real-time updates on order status, improved order accuracy, better inventory tracking to reduce over-ordering and minimize vaccine wastage, and individual user accounts with secure credentials to support accountability and data security. These improvements align with the WECHU's commitment to enhancing customer service and improving communication with vaccine providers across the region.

The VOS is being delivered through a phased rollout, with the goal of onboarding all WEC vaccine providers by August 31, 2026. Initially, the VOS was tested internally by WECHU staff before piloting with community partners. A pilot phase ran from July 2025 to January 2026, during which twelve organizations tested the system and provided feedback that informed system modifications made in the spring of 2026 prior to the broader rollout. 

Onboarding of local healthcare providers and hospitals commenced in April 2026 with planned onboarding of long-term care homes, healthcare agencies, and pharmacies throughout the summer of 2026. A contingency period is in place to onboard any new providers by September 1, 2026.

VOS User Onboarding

As of June 4, 2026, 94 external healthcare provider user accounts have been created and activated on the VOS, representing 76 healthcare providers. Onboarding is on schedule, with additional cohorts of healthcare providers being invited and activated each week throughout the summer. 

To support a smooth transition for vaccine providers, the WECHU has developed a range of onboarding resources, including a detailed step-by-step user guide and a video tutorial, both of which are accessible through the WECHU website. In addition, WECHU staff provide direct support to VOS users throughout the onboarding process, including online and in-person assistance with account setup, order entry, and troubleshooting. This combination of self-serve resources and hands-on support is intended to ensure that providers of all levels of technical comfort can confidently and independently use the VOS, minimize disruption to vaccine ordering during the transition, and maintain timely access to publicly funded vaccines for clients across WEC.

VOS Order Activity

Since launch, a total of 1,321 vaccine orders have been processed through the VOS. Order volumes have grown steadily as more providers transition to the system, with the highest monthly volumes observed during the fall respiratory season, when 221 orders were placed in October 2025 and 156 in November 2025. Orders from physicians, family health teams, hospitals, and community healthcare agencies are expected to increase significantly as additional providers are onboarded through spring and summer 2026. 

As VOS usage continues to expand, the increase in users and order submissions has also helped identify opportunities for ongoing quality-of-life improvements. These changes have been incorporated based on internal and external feedback and include user interface improvements, design iterations to improve navigation and readability, automated email scripts for order confirmations and order status notifications, enhanced accessibility when navigating the VOS platform, and additional system refinements to support a more efficient and user-friendly ordering experience.

Implementation Outlook

The WECHU will continue to onboard remaining vaccine providers in accordance with the implementation schedule, with the goal of onboarding all vaccine providers by August 31, 2026. Priority areas include:

• Maintaining responsive user support throughout onboarding, including online and in-person assistance with user accounts, order entry, and order processing.
• Reviewing and updating training materials, including the user guide and video tutorials, based on user feedback and emerging needs.
• Monitoring order volumes, turnaround times, and user activity to support quality improvement.
• Distributing a post-implementation evaluation survey in November/December 2026 to assess user satisfaction with the system, identify opportunities for refinement, and inform future enhancements to the platform.
• Continuing to identify and implement system iterations based on onboarding experiences, order submission trends, and feedback from both users and WECHU staff to ensure the VOS remains responsive, efficient, and aligned with provider needs.