Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-jr42d Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-18T19:04:36.941Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Championing Patient Safety through Mandatory Influenza Vaccination for All Healthcare Personnel and Affiliated Physicians

Part of: BARRY FARR AWARD RECIPIENTS

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2015

Lynne V. Karanfil ,
Jan Bahner ,
Joan Hovatter  and
William L. Thomas
Lynne V. Karanfil*
Affiliation:
MedStar Health, Columbia, Maryland
Jan Bahner
Affiliation:
MedStar Health, Columbia, Maryland
Joan Hovatter
Affiliation:
Union Memorial Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland
William L. Thomas
Affiliation:
MedStar Health, Columbia, Maryland
*
MedStar Health, 5565 Sterrett Place, Columbia, MD 21044 (lynne.v.karanfil@medstar.net)
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective.

To determine whether a mandatory seasonal influenza vaccination program will increase vaccination rates among healthcare personnel (HCP) and affiliated physicians.

Setting.

MedStar Health is a not-for-profit regional healthcare organization that includes 9 hospitals with approximately 25,000 HCP and approximately 4,000 affiliated physicians. HCP describes any person employed by MedStar Health.

Methods.

With previous vaccination rates parallel to reported national rates of 54% among HCP, MedStar Health introduced a mandatory seasonal influenza vaccination program promulgated during the 2009–2010 influenza season. HCP and affiliated physicians were given an opportunity to apply for medical or religious exemptions. Noncompliant HCP were terminated. Noncompliant physicians had their privileges administratively suspended for the influenza season.

Results.

HCP compliance (vaccinated and exempt) was 99.9%. The influenza vaccination rate among HCP was 98.5%. There were 338 approved medical exemptions and 18 approved religious exemptions. Only 0.01% of HCP (9 full-time, 2 part-time, and 17 per diem employees) were terminated. Overall, 93% of the affiliated physicians were vaccinated; 7 religious and 99 medical exemptions were granted. In total, 149 physicians (4%) had their admitting privileges suspended during the influenza season.

Conclusion.

A mandatory influenza vaccination program achieves high rates of vaccination among HCP and affiliated physicians.

Type
Original Article
Information
Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology , Volume 32 , Issue 4 , April 2011 , pp. 375 - 379
Copyright
Copyright © The Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1. Kohn, LT, Corrigan, JM, Donaldson, M, eds. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System. Washington, DC: Institute of Medicine, 1999.Google Scholar
2. Fiore, AE, Shay, DK, Broder, K, et al. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2008. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2008;57:1–60.Google Scholar
3. Fiore, AE, Shay, DK, Broder, K. et al. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Prevention and control of influenza: recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), 2010. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2010;59:1–62.Google Scholar
4. Poland, GA, Tosh, P, Jacobson, RM. Requiring influenza vaccination for health care workers: seven truths we must accept. Vaccine 2005;23:2251–2255.10.1016/j.vaccine.2005.01.043Google Scholar
5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Interim results: influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent and seasonal influenza vaccination coverage among health-care personnel—United States, August 2009-January 2010. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2010;59:357–362.Google Scholar
6. Wilde, JA, McMillan, JA, Serwint, J, Butta, J, O'Riordan, MA, Steinhoff, MC. Effectiveness of influenza vaccine in health care professionals: a randomized trial. JAMA 1999;281:908–913.10.1001/jama.281.10.908Google Scholar
7. Nichol, KL, D'Heilly, SJ, Greenberg, ME, Ehlinger, E. Burden of influenza-like illness and effectiveness of influenza vaccination among working adults aged 50-64 years. Clin Infect Dis 2009;48:292–298.10.1086/595842Google Scholar
8. Carman, WF, Elder, AG, Wallace, LA, et al. Effects of influenza vaccination of health-care personnel on mortality of elderly people in long-term care: a randomised controlled trial. Lancet 2000;355:93–97.10.1016/S0140-6736(99)05190-9Google Scholar
9. Hayward, AC, Harling, R, Wetten, S, et al. Effectiveness of an influenza vaccine programme for care home staff to prevent death, morbidity, and health service use among residents: cluster randomised controlled trial. BMJ 2006;333:1241–1246.10.1136/bmj.39010.581354.55Google Scholar
10. Potter, J, Stott, DJ, Roberts, MA, et al. Influenza vaccination of health care workers in long-term-care hospitals reduces the mortality of elderly patients. J Infect Dis 1997;175:1–6.10.1093/infdis/175.1.1Google Scholar
11. Thomas, RE, Jefferson, TO, Demicheli, V, et al. Influenza vaccination for health-care workers who work with elderly people in institutions: a systematic review. Lancet Infect Dis 2006;6:273–279.10.1016/S1473-3099(06)70462-5Google Scholar
12. Rakita, RM, Hagar, BA, Crome, P, Lammert, JK. Mandatory influenza vaccination of healthcare workers: a 5-year study. Infect Control Hasp Epidemiol 2010;31:881–888.10.1086/656210Google Scholar
13. Babcock, HM, Gemeinhart, N, Jones, M, Dunagan, WC, Woeltje, KF. Mandatory influenza vaccination of health care workers: translating policy to practice. Clin Infect Dis 2010;50:459–464.Google Scholar
14. Maryland Healthcare Commission. Developing a system for collecting and publicly reporting data on healthcare-associated infection in Maryland, http://mhcc.maryland.gov/healthcare_associated_infections/hai_report_jan2008/report_012008.pdf. Accessed April 16, 2010.Google Scholar
15. Maryland Partnership for Prevention. April 15, 2010, Flu Season Wrap Up Meeting, http://immunizemaryland.org/pdfs/resources/MPP%20°/o2709-%2710%20Flu%20Wrap-Up%20Presentations.pdf. Accessed April 20, 2010.Google Scholar
16. O'Reilly, FW, Cran, GW, Stevens, AB. Factors affecting influenza vaccine uptake among health care workers. Occup Med 2005;55:474–479.10.1093/occmed/kqi099Google Scholar
17. Martinello, RA, Jones, L, Topai, JE. Correlation between healthcare workers' knowledge of influenza vaccine and vaccine receipt. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2003;24:845–847.10.1086/502147Google Scholar
18. Tapiainen, T, Bar, G, Schaad, UB, Heininger, U. Influenza vaccination among healthcare workers in a university children's hospital. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2005;26:855–858.10.1086/502508Google Scholar
19. Broughton, DE, Beigi, RH, Switzer, GE, Raker, CA, Anderson, BL. Obstetric health care workers' attitudes and beliefs regarding influenza vaccination in pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol 2009;5:981–987.10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181bd89c2Google Scholar
20. Zaman, K, Roy, E, Arifeen, SE, et al. Effectiveness of maternal influenza immunization in mothers and infants. N Engl J Med 2008;359:1555–1564.10.1056/NEJMoa0708630Google Scholar
21. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Dogma concerning smallpox prior to eradication program, http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/smallpox/overview/intro-to-smallpox.pdf. Accessed April 16, 2010.Google Scholar
22. Anikeeva, O, Braunack-Mayer, A, Rogers, W. Requiring influenza vaccination for health care workers. Am J Public Health 2009;99:24–29.10.2105/AJPH.2008.136440Google Scholar
23. Talbot, TR. Do declination statements increase health care worker influenza vaccination rates? Clin Infect Dis 2009;49:773–779.10.1086/605554Google Scholar
24. Maryland Health Care Commission. Healthcare worker influenza vaccination rate: 2009/2010 flu season, http://mhcc.maryland.gov/consumerinfo/hospitalguide/hospital_guide/reports/healthcare_associated_infections/hcw_graphing.asp?hcw_measure_id = VacRate. Accessed July 19, 2010.Google Scholar
25. Maryland Healthcare Commission. Summary of HAI Advisory Committee meeting, July 28, 2010. http://mhcc.maryland.gov/healthcare_associated_infections/hai/agenda-minutes.html. Accessed August 19, 2010.Google Scholar
26. Infectious Diseases Society of America. IDSA Letter to CDC Director Tom Frieden on draft guidance “Prevention strategies for seasonal influenza in healthcare settings.” https://www.idsociety.org/archive.aspx?fid = 16. Accessed August 18, 2010.Google Scholar
27. Talbot, TR, Babcock, H, Caplan, AL, et al. Revised SHEA position paper: influenza vaccination of healthcare personnel. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2010;31:987–995.10.1086/656558Google Scholar
28. Caban-Martinez, AJ, Lee, DJ, Davila EP et al. Sustained low influenza vaccination rates in US healthcare workers. Prev Med 2010;50:210–212.10.1016/j.ypmed.2010.01.001Google Scholar