Health Care Personnel Influenza Vaccination Rates in Minnesota

Download PDF version formatted for print:
Health Care Personnel Influenza Vaccination Rates in Minnesota (PDF:23KB/1 pages)

updated 4/12

On this page:
2011 Overall
Hospitals
Nursing Homes
FluSafe

Vaccination of health care personnel (HCP) against influenza is a priority to prevent the spread of influenza in the health care setting and to protect patients who are at high risk of complications.

In 2011, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that 63.5 percent of HCP were vaccinated nationally. (Note: the CDC interviews individual HCP whereas MDH gets information at the facility level, for more information, see MMWR: Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Health-Care Personnel - United States, 2010-22 Influenza Season [PDF:1.34MB/44 pages]. Attention: Non-MDH link) Although this is higher than previously measured, it still falls far short of the Healthy People 2020 goal of 90 percent.

MDH established a baseline of 71.2 percent HCP vaccinated in the 2008-2009 season through a survey of hospitals and nursing homes in the state and used a similar survey in 2011 as a follow-up to measure progress toward the 90 percent goal. Hospitals and nursing homes in the state of Minnesota voluntarily report their vaccination rates to MDH. Rates are given to MDH using a web-based survey or through the Minnesota Immunization Information Connection (MIIC), the state immunization registry.

2011 Overall

In Minnesota, 275 hospitals and nursing homes in Minnesota responded to the survey. The average rate of HCP vaccination in those facilities was estimated to be 71.4 percent for the 2010-2011 season.

Hospitals

The average HCP vaccination rate was estimated to be 78.7 percent. In 2008-2009, the reported coverage rate was 78 percent. Although the vaccination rate has appeared to stay the same in the 2010-2011 season, more hospitals across the state reported their rate, meaning a more accurate estimate. In the 2010-2011 season, the number of hospitals reporting their influenza vaccination rate to MDH grew by more than 50%.

Nursing Homes

The average vaccination rate of the 170 nursing homes who reported was 67.2 percent. This is a small increase from 2008-2009 when the seasonal the coverage rate in nursing homes was 65 percent.

There are 379 nursing homes in Minnesota, which means a 40 percent response rate.

FluSafe

In 2010, MDH developed the FluSafe program. This program helps facilities track their HCP vaccinations using MIIC and publicly recognizes facilities reaching a coverage level of 70 percent or greater. MDH uses MIIC to determine HCP vaccination rates in FluSafe facilities where each vaccination can be verified. Facilities that do not participate in FluSafe self-report the numbers of total HCP and the number of HCP vaccinated against influenza.

Both hospitals and nursing homes that participated in FluSafe in 2010-2011 had higher vaccination rates than facilities who did not participate. Hospitals participating in FluSafe had an average vaccination rate of 81.7 percent, compared to 72.9 percent in non-participating hospitals. Nursing homes in FluSafe had an average vaccination rate of 75.1 percent compared to non-participating nursing homes that had a rate of 61.8 percent.

The HCP vaccination rate in the state of Minnesota for the 2010-2011 season appears to be very similar to the rate reported in 2009. However, in 2009, only 173 facilities reported their vaccination rates to MDH. In 2010-2011, that number grew to 275. This increase represents Minnesota’s growing commitment to patient safety. As the state vaccination rate becomes more transparent and is measured more reliably, facilities are able to take action to increase HCP vaccination rates.

Updated Wednesday, 11-Apr-2012 13:48:34 CDT