A Statewide System for Improving Influenza Vaccination Rates in Hospital Employees

Philip M POLGREEN; Linnea A POLGREEN; Thomas EVANS; Charles HELMS

doi:10.1086/596780

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A Statewide System for Improving Influenza Vaccination Rates in Hospital Employees

Journal article

Peer reviewed

A Statewide System for Improving Influenza Vaccination Rates in Hospital Employees

Philip M POLGREEN, Linnea A POLGREEN, Thomas EVANS and Charles HELMS

Infection control and hospital epidemiology, Vol.30(5), pp.474-478

2009

DOI: 10.1086/596780

PMCID: PMC2956270

PMID: 19327039

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Abstract

Objective: To describe and report the progress of a provider-initiated approach to increase influenza immunization rates for healthcare workers. Design: Observational study. Setting: The State of Iowa. Subjects: Acute care hospitals in Iowa. Methods: Hospitals reported rates of employee influenza vaccination to a provider-based collaborative during 2 influenza seasons (2006-2007 and 2007-2008). Hospital characteristics related to higher vaccination rates were examined. Results: One hundred (87.0%) of 115 Iowa hospitals and/or health systems participated in season 1; individual hospital vaccination rates ranged from 43.5% to 99.2% (mean, 72.4%; median, 73.1%). In season 2, 115 (100%) of 115 Iowa hospitals and/or health systems participated. Individual hospital vaccination rates ranged from 53.6% to 100% (mean, 79.5%; median, 82.0%). In both seasons, urban and large hospitals had vaccination rates that were 6.3% to 7.6% lower than those of hospitals in other locations. Hospitals that used declination statements had influenza vaccination rates 12.6% higher than hospitals that did not use declination statements in season 2. Conclusion: The initial vaccination rates were high for healthcare workers in Iowa, especially in smaller rural hospitals, and rates increased during season 2. The successful voluntary approach for reporting influenza vaccination rates that we describe provides an efficient platform for collecting and disseminating other statewide measures of healthcare quality.

Infectious Diseases

Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine

Public health. Hygiene

Viral diseases of the respiratory system and ent viral diseases

Miscellaneous

Viral diseases

Biological and medical sciences

Medical sciences

Human viral diseases

Details

Title: Subtitle: A Statewide System for Improving Influenza Vaccination Rates in Hospital Employees
Creators: Philip M POLGREEN - Department of Internal Medicine, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, United States
Linnea A POLGREEN - College of Pharmacy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, United States
Thomas EVANS - Iowa Healthcare Collaborative, Des Moines Iowa, United States
Charles HELMS - Department of Internal Medicine, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, United States
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Infection control and hospital epidemiology, Vol.30(5), pp.474-478
DOI: 10.1086/596780
PMID: 19327039
PMCID: PMC2956270
NLM abbreviation: Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol
ISSN: 0899-823X
eISSN: 1559-6834
Publisher: University of Chicago Press; Chicago, IL
Language: English
Date published: 2009
Academic Unit: Infectious Diseases; Health Management and Policy; Epidemiology; Economics; Family and Community Medicine; Pharmacy Practice and Science; Injury Prevention Research Center; Internal Medicine
Record Identifier: 9984065325502771

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