AHA Supports Mandatory Influenza Vaccination Policies

  • AHA Quality Advisory

    The AHA's board of trustees approved a policy supporting mandatory patient safety policies that require either influenza vaccination or wearing a mask in the presence of patients across health care settings during flu season. This policy aims is to achieve the highest possible level of protection.

    For further questions, please contact Nancy Foster, AHA vice president of quality and patient safety, at nfoster@aha.org or Roslyne Schulman, AHA director of policy, at rschulman@aha.org

    Read the AHA Quality Advisory

  • AHA Resources

    To support hospitals in implementing such polices, the AHA held three conference calls featuring speakers from hospitals with mandatory vaccination policies. These calls highlight best practices.

    HCA presented a how-to-guide for implementing a patient safety program for influenza prevention
    Access the recorded audio
    Access the presentation slides (available to AHA members only, log in is required)

    A presentation on the influenza campaign at North Shore LIJ Health System
    Access the recorded audio
    Access the presentation slides  (available to AHA members only, log in is required)

    Children's Hospital and Medical Center improves its influenza vaccination rates among its health care workers
    Access the recorded audio
    Access the presentation slides (available to AHA members only, log in is required)

     

  • Influenza Vaccination Resources

    Joint Commission Resources issued "the Flu Vaccination Challenge" to encourage organizations to achive a 75 percent vaccination rate and strive to achieve a rate between 85 to 95 percent.

    The Hospital and Healthsystem Association of Pennsylvania released a best practice paper on Universal Flu Immunization Programs for Health Care Personnel.

    Adverse Effects of Vaccines features the findings by a committe of experts, convened by the IOM, who reviewed more than 1,000 research articles and concluded that few health problems are caused or associated with vaccines.

    The AHA policy staff has compiled two lists of resources:
    An overall resource list on mandatory influenza policy
    A list of articles on influenza mandatory policy