Improving Hospital Flu Vaccination Rates During COVID-19
The Background
Before the Australian winter of 2020, it was recommended that all health workers receive the influenza vaccination. In the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic this was especially important to avoid additional pressure on health care systems, to maintain a healthy workforce to manage COVID-19, and to avoid contracting concurrent influenza and COVID-19 leading to complications and worse outcomes.
“Some years I skip it, but I really want it this year”
- Health Care Worker
“Has anyone seen the flu-vax trolley? ”
The Problem
Given the background of the COVID-19 pandemic, the demand for the fluvax was unprecedented. In a major tertiary referral hospital the more than 4000 staff were eager to receive their inoculation but were finding it difficult locate the roving vaccination nurses.
From the Monday that the flu vaccination became available, only 15% of the the staff had received their vaccination by Wednesday.
What Worked
Working with the hospital executive, we assessed the problem and noted how the change in context caused by COVID-19 had changed staff behaviour. A change in context requires a change in intervention, in this case the delivery.
Usually, roving vaccination nurses that come to staff on their wards and in their offices, is a good way of ensuring high vaccination rates. However, getting a vaccination was now a much higher priority for staff and as a result, the roving vaccination system was actually hindering vaccination rates.
To address the changed motivations and behaviour of the hospital staff, we recommended a large, prominent, stationary vaccination station, which the executive instigated on a main hospital thoroughfare.
The Result
The vaccination station was introduced on the Thursday and was very highly utilised by staff. By the end of the week the vaccination rates of the first 3 days had increased to 78% of all hospital staff - an unprecedented first week vaccination rate.