title: Achieving the national health objective for influenza immunization: success of an institution-wide vaccination program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To enhance influenza vaccination rates for high-risk outpatients at the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in Minneapolis, Minnesota, an institution-wide immunization program was implemented during 1987.
  
  
  METHODS
  The program consisted of: (1) a hospital policy allowing nurses to vaccinate without a signed physician's order; (2) stamped reminders on all clinic progress notes; (3) a 2-week walk-in flu shot clinic; (4) influenza vaccination "stations" in the busiest clinic areas; and (5) a mailing to all outpatients. Risk characteristics and vaccination rates for patients were estimated from a validated self-administered postcard questionnaire mailed to 500 randomly selected outpatients. For comparison, 500 patients were surveyed from each of three other Midwestern VAMCs without similar programs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall, 70.6% of Minneapolis patients were high-risk and 58.3% of them were vaccinated. In contrast, 69.9% of patients at the comparison medical centers were high-risk, but only 29.9% of them were vaccinated.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Minneapolis VAMC influenza vaccination program was highly successful and may serve as a useful model for achieving the national health objective for influenza immunization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55417.
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Nichol
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Korn
authors.forename: K L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Margolis
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Poland
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Petzel
authors.forename: R P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Lofgren
mesh_terms: D006787:Hospitals, Veterans; D006801:Humans; D007252:Influenza Vaccines; D007251:Influenza, Human / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008875:Middle Aged; D008910:Minnesota; D009934:Organization and Administration; D012307:Risk Factors; D014611:Vaccination / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
chemical_list: D007252:Influenza Vaccines