St. Joseph’s earns red ribbon from state for work to vaccinate personnel against flu

Posted Oct. 18, 2011

St. Joseph’s Area Health Services received a red ribbon from the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) for attaining high influenza vaccination rates among its employees coupled with its participation in the Minnesota FluSafe program.

St. Joseph’s was among 137 Minnesota hospitals and nursing home to enroll. There are 145 hospitals and about 400 nursing homes in the state.

As a result of high participation rate by personnel, St. Joseph’s achieved 80-89 percent employee participation for the 2010-2011 influenza vaccination season. St. Joseph’s participation rate exceeds national and state levels.

“St. Joseph’s participation in the FluSafe program shows patients and their loved ones that we are committed to patient safety,” says Wendy Gullicksrud, St. Joseph’s Infection Control/Employee Health Coordinator. “We strive to educate our health care workers and staff that getting vaccinated for flu is an important way to keep our patients safe and to protect those most at risk”

The goal of the FluSafe program is to get 100 percent of all health care personnel vaccinated against influenza each season, with the exception of those with medical exemptions.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has set a standard of vaccinating 90 percent of health care personnel in its Healthy People 2020 objectives. National rates of influenza vaccination of health care workers are currently estimated to be 63.5 percent.

Minnesota’s rates are higher at 72 percent overall, according to the MDH (2009).

Under the FluSafe program, health care facilities receive guidance and access to tools and promotional materials from MDH and CDC to help them increase their rates. The facilities record and document their vaccination rates with the MDH.