Promoting Late Season Flu Vaccination at VA Health Centers

1. Strategies for Late Season Flu Vaccination40th National Immunization Conference of CDCMarch 7, 2006 Victoria Davey, RN, MPH Office of Public Health and Environmental Hazards Department of Veterans Affairs Washington, DC

2. VA Health Care • 5.1 million patients/year • 7.5 million enrolled for care • 1,300 Sites-of-Care • 158 medical centers or hospitals, • 850 clinics, long-term care, domiciliaries, home-care programs • $27.4 billion budget • 193,000 Employees (~15,000 MD, 56,000 Nurses, 33,000 Allied Health Professionals)

3. VA Health Care • Affiliations with 107 Academic Health Systems • Additional 25,000 affiliated MD’s • Largest provider of health professional education • Most US health professionals (70% MD’s) have some training in VA • $1.7 Billion Research Program • Basic, Clinical (Cooperative Studies), Rehabilitation, Health Services Research

4. VA Health Care • A truly “national” healthcare system • Increasingly recognized as leader in quality of care: • Heart disease • Diabetes • Prosthetics • HIV • Hepatitis C • Fully deployed Electronic Health Record—uniform throughout U.S.

5. Annual Flu Vaccination • How does VA do?

6. VA Patient Flu Immunization RatesChart Review Source: External Peer Review Program Surveys, 2003 -2005, 11 clinics + SCI & D

7. FY 03 All (> 49 yo) 75% >64 yo 84% NH Whites 74% NH Blacks 60% Non-VA vaccine 45% n=102,347 FY 04 All (> 49 yo) 82% >64 yo 88% NH Whites 83% NH Blacks 72% Non-VA vaccine 38% n=159,142 VA Patients’ Self-Reported Flu Vaccination Rates Source: Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Veterans (SHEP)

8. VA Staff Flu Vaccination Rates • Anecdotes: rates of 80-90% of facility staff (this season) • Probably a very wide range • System-wide survey this year

9. Seasonal Flu: VA’s Annual Actions • Annual Under Secretary for Health Directive • Communicates priorities, implementation issues • Setting goals/performance measures for flu vaccination—advised by VA “Flu” Group • Purchase / distribution of flu vaccine supplies • Dissemination of VA Influenza Toolkit • VA Influenza Vaccine Advisories • Regular reminders, guidance • Leadership speaks • Infection: Don’t Pass It On Campaign

10. VA’s Priority Groups 05-06 Flu Season • Pts >65yrs old • Pts of any age with comorbid conditions • Residents of VA’s long term care facilities (including group or shelter situations) • Pregnant women veterans • Personnel who work in VA healthcare facilities • Veteran household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children aged <6months

11. VA’s Goals for 2005-2006 Season • Increase rates of vaccination in personnel at all sites • Maintain/Increase rates of vaccination of veteran patients • Provide pneumococcal vaccination where indicated • Involve all staff and providers in promoting influenza vaccination • Promote nonvaccine methods of preventing infection (hand/respiratory hygiene)

12. Seasonal Flu: VA’s Annual Actions • Annual Under Secretary for Health Directive • Communicates priorities, implementation issues • Setting goals/performance measures for flu vaccination • Purchase / distribution of flu vaccine supplies • Dissemination of VA Influenza Toolkit • Regular reminders, guidance • VA Influenza Vaccine Advisories • Leadership speaks • Infection: Don’t Pass It On Campaign

13. VA’s Flu Vaccine Purchases

14. Seasonal Flu: VA’s Annual Actions • Annual Under Secretary for Health Directive • Communicates priorities, implementation issues • Setting goals/performance measures for flu vaccination • Purchase / distribution of flu vaccine supplies • Dissemination of VA Influenza Toolkit • VA Influenza Vaccine Advisories • Regular reminders, guidance • Leadership speaks • Infection: Don’t Pass It On Campaign

15. Vaccine Information • Inactivated influenza, LAIV, pneumococcal • Methods to improve staff and patient vaccination rates • 88% of veterans >64; assessing staff rates this year • Tools for Flu Prevention • Buttons, stickers, posters • Frequently asked questions • Eligibility for vaccine, HIV/AIDS, vaccine storage, LAIV • Resources, references, and web sites

16. Toolkit materials sent to • 8 key contact groups at each VA medical center • Influenza vaccination (“flu”) coordinators • Occupational health clinicians • Prevention coordinators • Infection control professionals • Public affairs officers • Patient educators • Patient safety officers • Education contacts

17. Seasonal Flu: VA’s Annual Actions • Annual Under Secretary for Health Directive • Communicates priorities, implementation issues • Setting goals/performance measures for flu vaccination • Purchase / distribution of flu vaccine supplies • Dissemination of VA Influenza Toolkit • VA Influenza Vaccine Advisories • Regular reminders, guidance • Leadership speaks • Infection: Don’t Pass It On Campaign

18. USH Flu Vaccine Advisories • Flu Vaccine Advisories • 2005 - 2006 • VA Influenza Vaccine Advisory #4 for the 2005-2006 Influenza Season VA_Flu_Vaccine_Advisory_4_2-2006.pdf  (220k PDF file) VA_Flu_Vaccine_Advisory_4_11-2005.tif  (233k TIFF image file)VA Influenza Vaccine Advisory AttachmentRevised/renamed fact sheet: Prevention and Treatment of Seasonal Influenza A and B Using Oseltamivir, updated January 2006 PxandRxofSeasonalFluwoseltamivir.Jan2006.pdf   (43k PDF file) • Seasonal Influenza • VA will follow CDC recommendation against the use of amantadine and rimantadine this season • Continue the VA Influenza Vaccination Program this season • Use public health measures to prevent and control seasonal influenza • Under Secretary for Health • Issues new guidance, advice, feeds back data, and thanks the “field” • 7 in 04-05 season • 4 in 05-06 to date

19. More system-wide strategies… • Ongoing reminders • Weekly emailed “VA Flu Campaign TIP OF THE WEEK” • Ideas solicited from VA clinicians • Mid-October to February • Sent in a nicely-designed email to 1000s of staff • National focus groups • Held twice in January • What works for your site’s flu campaign? • How can VA Central Office help? Infuenza A – early passage

20. More system-wide strategies… • Ongoing production and dissemination of “tools” • A lower reading level VIS • For use with the CDC version • Posters tailored to VA audiences • Including CDC materials (thanks) • Web-based survey to evaluate Flu Toolkit • Ideas for next year Infuenza A – early passage

21. Seasonal Flu: VA’s Annual Actions • Annual Under Secretary for Health Directive • Communicates priorities, implementation issues • Setting goals/performance measures for flu vaccination • Purchase / distribution of flu vaccine supplies • Dissemination of VA Influenza Toolkit • Regular reminders, guidance • VA Influenza Vaccine Advisories • Leadership speaks • Infection: Don’t Pass It On Campaign

22. Infection: Don’t Pass It On • Non-vaccine preventive measures encouraged in an active national campaign • hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene http://www.publichealth.va.gov/infectiondontpassiton

23. Late season vaccination—how does VA do?

24. 2004-2005 Flu Vaccine Utilization As of April 6, 2005 • 1,874,176 doses used (91%) • 16% was administered mid January-March • Metrics for 05-06 being collected • For VA patients • For VA health care facility staff

25. Summary--strategies to achieve late season vaccination • Set system-wide goals—specific to the season • Make flu vaccination of patients a performance measure for health care facilities • Keep leadership visible and vocal throughout the season • Communication, communication, communication • Establish multidisciplinary “key” contacts • Listen to the advice of staff and patients and share/act on it • Act quickly when policy changes are needed • Invest resources • Toolkits, promotional items, awards to field staff who contribute or innovate

26. VA Web Resources • www.publichealth.va.gov/flu/ • www.publichealth.va.gov/infectiondontpassiton