Improving Healthcare Worker Flu Vaccination Rates

Leadership on immunization issues must also be demonstrated by professional societies and organizations, Schaffner says. “The National Foundation for Infectious Diseases (NFID) gathered together a number of organizations to discuss and commit to HCW immunization; that went swimmingly and about 20 groups signed up. We now need these groups to embrace the issue and integrate it into their own programs and activities. So many HCWs look to their professional societies for guidance and if those groups would say explicitly that they expect every member to become immunized and do everything they can to ensure everyone around them is immunized, we could gain important ground. Healthcare institutions must, over time, create a culture where annual influenza immunization of HCWs is an expectation. In order to establish that climate we need the active endorsement and participation of all professional societies because they set the tone. For example, I haven’t seen the American College of Surgeons tell every surgeon they must be vaccinated. Groups can have good hearts and endorse vaccination, but they also need to do something about it. They have accomplished some things around the edges of the issue, but I have not seen evidence that every autumn, these societies are sending the immunization message.”

Another critical item on Schaffner’s menu is taking advantage of every vaccination opportunity. Schaffner writes, “Influenza immunization remains the best defense against the morbidity and mortality associated with influenza infection. National influenza immunization guidelines are in place and are updated annually to identify the groups of individuals that should be vaccinated each year and to provide counsel on how and when vaccine should be administered. Despite this specific guidance to clinicians, community immunizers, and public health workers, there is broad-based evidence of influenza vaccine underutilization in all groups for whom vaccination is warranted, resulting in potentially preventable illness and complications of influenza (pneumonia, hospitalization, and death). One of the contributions to immunization rates that fall far below target levels is a sizable number of missed opportunities throughout the vaccination season (i.e., healthcare visits during which at-risk patients are not vaccinated).”¹