Did you just enroll your kiddos in a new school or daycare? Is your college junior about to spend a semester studying abroad? Are you about to enlist in the military? Do you have a new primary care doctor you need to bring up to speed on your medical history?

In every scenario, you’ll need to share your vaccine history. Given that daily life can be hectic, who has time to chase down vaccine records from different care providers, clinics or pharmacies? Now you don’t have to.

A record of all the vaccines you and your family receive can be stored in one secure and convenient place — I-CARE. 

How Does I-CARE Work?

I-CARE (Illinois Comprehensive Automated Immunization Registry Exchange) is a database run by the Illinois Department of Public Health. It keeps an electronic record of all participants’ vaccines in one secure and convenient place.

Every time a participant gets a vaccine, it is recorded in the database. Many, but not all, health care providers in Illinois participate in I-CARE. Ask your provider if they record patient vaccines in the registry.

Patient participation is voluntary and confidential.
While the registry is designed to update and store a person’s vaccine information for their entire lifetime, participants can withdraw their consent at any time. If an individual, parent, or guardian does not wish to have vaccine information stored in the registry, they can submit an opt-out form. 

With permission,  an individual’s immunization records can be shared with health care providers, schools, workplaces and others who need the information.

Who Can Access the Registry?

Only authorized doctors, nurses and health care professionals are allowed to search the registry and update its records.

Ready to Participate?

Join the growing number of Illinoisans who are already part of I-Care. You can help protect Illinois kids, teens and adults from serious diseases by staying up to date on your vaccines  and keeping your complete shot history in one place. 

For more information, visit the I-CARE  page.