Interventions to increase influenza vaccination of health-care workers--California and Minnesota

Abstract

Vaccination of health-care workers (HCWs) has been shown to reduce influenza infection and absenteeism among HCWs, prevent mortality in their patients, and result in financial savings to sponsoring health institutions. However, influenza vaccination coverage among HCWs in the United States remains low; in 2003, coverage among HCWs was 40.1%. This report describes strategies implemented in three clinical settings that increased the proportion of HCWs who received influenza vaccination. The results demonstrate the value of making influenza vaccination convenient and available at no cost to HCWs.