June 20, 2019
Dialysis facility workers continue to have highest flu immunization rates, report says
PORTLAND, Ore. — A new state report shows that although health care worker influenza vaccination rates have increased over seven flu seasons, facilities overall continue to fall short of national goals.
Health care worker flu vaccination rates increased by 46 percent since the 2011-2012 flu season — from 52 percent for all health care facility types to 76 percent during the 2017-2018 season. That means the state beat the national Healthy People 2015 goal of a 75 percent health care worker flu vaccination rate, but remains well below the Healthy People 2020 goal of 90 percent, according to the Oregon Health Care Worker Influenza Vaccination Annual Report.
The report was published this week by the Acute and Communicable Disease Prevention Section at the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division.
"When you need to be in the hospital for a medical or surgical problem, the last thing you want is to catch the flu from your doctor or nurse," said Dat Tran, M.D., public health physician in the Acute and Communicable Disease Prevention Section. "When health care workers are vaccinated against the flu, the people they’re caring for are protected."
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services developed the Healthy People program with 10-year objectives for improving the health of all Americans.
Dialysis facility workers in Oregon have the highest flu vaccination rates of health care facility types covered by the report, topping both the 2015 and 2020 Healthy People goals. Their rate of 90 percent during the 2017-2018 flu season represents a 5.8 percent increase from the 2016-2017 rate of 85 percent.
Hospitals overall also beat the national 2015 goal for health care worker immunizations against the flu, coming in at a rate of 82 percent during the 2017-2018 season, but still short of the 2020 goal. Since the 2011-2012 season, rates of flu immunizations among health care workers at hospitals have risen by 37 percent.
Ambulatory surgery centers and skilled nursing facilities had the lowest rates of flu vaccinations among health care workers, coming in below both the 2015 and 2020 national goals. Ambulatory surgery centers saw only a slight rise between the 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 seasons, from 72 percent to 73 percent. The rate of increase at skilled nursing facilities was similarly sluggish: 57 percent to 59 percent.
Dr. Tran said publication of the report each year tracks progress toward the Healthy People 2020 goal and directs public health action, showing the need for additional support and education.
There are important steps health care facilities can take to achieve 90 percent vaccination coverage. Among the recommendations included in the Oregon Health Care Worker Influenza Vaccination Annual Report are encouraging health care workers, including those not employed by the facility — such as contractors and volunteers — to get vaccinated at the beginning of every influenza season. Facilities can host promotional activities, such as holding mass vaccination fairs, providing vaccines at no cost to employees, starting incentive programs, and documenting all employees’ vaccination status and requiring a declination form for staff members who forgo vaccination.
The report is available on the OHA Public Health Division website.
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