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Last updated on 04 Sep 2008

Hospitals urged to vaccinate staff against flu
04 September 2008

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - A new campaign -- the Flu Vaccination Challenge -- was launched this week to increase influenza vaccination rates among hospital employees.

"While the focus of this initial challenge is on hospitals, all health care settings are welcome to participate, including long-term care facilities," Barbara M. Soule told Reuters Health.

Soule is practice leader of Infection Prevention and Control Services at Joint Commission Resources, which initiated the challenge. The organization is affiliated with the Joint Commission, the main body accrediting hospitals as up-to-par in the US.

Since January 2007, The Joint Commission has required accredited hospitals and long-term care facilities to offer influenza vaccinations on site to staff and licensed independent practitioners.

Health care workers are at increased risk of exposure to influenza due to the nature of their jobs, and in turn passing on the flu to patients. "In past years, flu infections have been documented in health care settings, and health care workers have been implicated as the potential source of these infections," Joint Commission Resources pointed out.

The new campaign's goal is to prevent transmission of flu from physicians, nurses, technical and administrative staff to patients at risk for influenza-related complications. The aim is to surpass the current national vaccination level of 42 percent among staff members

The campaign will run from September 2008 to May 2009.

"All hospitals/organizations who meet 'The Challenge' will be recognized on our web site and will also receive a certificate acknowledging their participation and success," Soule noted. "In addition, in celebration of their success, their names will be recognized within the media in May 2009."