Healthy People, Secure Facilities

The new year is underway, and so is flu season. January witnessed sharp increases in flu cases throughout parts of the country. According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), U.S. flu activity is elevated nationally with tens of thousands hospitalized so far. It remains important for health care facilities to track vaccination coverage among staff and meet infection control standards with proper immunization requirements.

Why do we measure vaccination rates?

HealthyPeople.gov has set forth an annual target goal of 90 percent for influenza vaccinations among health care professionals by 2020. Tracking flu vaccination coverage rates can help gauge progress toward meeting Healthy People 2020 goals.

The higher the vaccination coverage rates, the more we can help ensure that health care professionals will be protected from influenza and patients in the facility will be less likely to acquire flu illnesses from its staff.

How can facilities make a difference?

Encourage, or even require, flu vaccinations of your vendors, volunteers, staff and contract practitioners. IntelliCentrics’s SEC³URE Standard recommends exactly this – helping you make strides toward the 2020 finish line.

IntelliCentrics has also teamed up with MinuteClinic to offer a number of immunization services through SEC³URE Ethos. The quadrivalent flu vaccine is available for anyone aged 18 and older, while the high-dose flu vaccine is only for adults 65 years or older, per CDC guidelines. It is one of the ways we help SEC³URE facilities achieve their Healthy People 2020 goal for flu vaccination coverage, and it is also a convenience to our subscribers.

Regulatory agencies such as the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, The Joint Commission and CDC all agree that the best way to increase vaccination rates in health care professionals is through education. In addition to regular reminders, the SEC³URE Seasonal Flu Report makes it easy to target and communicate with those individuals who need additional support data. Data from the report can also be shared with key https://www.intellicentrics.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/home-slider-1080x616-1.jpgistrative stakeholders in your organization via an export tool.

Do you require flu vaccinations for your vendors and volunteers?