IMMUNIZATION PROGRAM
What is FluSafe?
FluSafe is a Minnesota Department of
Health (MDH) program that recognizes
Minnesota hospitals and nursing homes for
high influenza (flu) vaccination rates among
their health care personnel*.
Why is vaccinating health
care personnel important?
Unvaccinated health care personnel can
pass highly contagious flu to their patients,
many of whom are at high risk for flu
complications. While vaccination will not
prevent every case of flu, it is an active step
in decreasing disease and protecting
patients.
The national rate of health care personnel
flu vaccination is about 75 percent, but we
still have a long way to go. That’s where
FluSafe comes in!
What is the goal of FluSafe?
Healthy People 2020 has a goal of 90
percent flu vaccination coverage for health
care personnel. Minnesota has a goal of 100
percent flu vaccination coverage for health
care personnel who do not have medical
exemptions.
FluSafe aims to help Minnesota hospitals
and nursing homes meet these goals by
facilitating friendly competition among
health care facilities, creating transparency
through public recognition, and supporting
thorough and accurate tracking of flu
vaccine coverage.
How does FluSafe work?
MDH provides tools and best practice
guidance to help hospitals and nursing
homes develop and implement vaccination
programs and track their vaccination rates.
Throughout the flu vaccination season,
facilities enrolled in FluSafe enter their
health care personnel’s vaccinations in the
Minnesota Immunization Information
Connection (MIIC), Minnesota’s
immunization information system. They
also submit a roster of their entire health
care staff.
After March 31, MDH calculates the
percentage of health care personnel at each
participating facility that are vaccinated
against flu. MDH then publically recognizes
facilities reaching 70, 80, and 90 percent
vaccination rates. Public recognition is done
in late summer/early fall to kick off the next
season of flu vaccination.
What are the benefits of
FluSafe?
FluSafe is visible.
FluSafe offers an opportunity for facilities to
be recognized for achieving employee flu
vaccination rates of 70, 80, or 90 percent.
Low vaccination rates among health care
personnel can be very concerning for the
public. Facilities that participate in FluSafe
assure patients and their families that their
health care personnel are actively working
to prevent flu infection.
WHAT IS FLUSAFE?
FluSafe emphasizes patient safety
and quality improvement.
When health care personnel are protected
from the flu, they are less likely to spread it
to their patients. By participating in FluSafe,
facilities publically demonstrate their
commitment to patient safety and quality
improvement.
FluSafe is practical.
Minnesota Department of Health
Immunization Program
PO Box 64975, St. Paul, MN 55164-0975
651-201-5414
[email protected]
9/15
FluSafe is an easy way to enhance existing
vaccination campaigns and to begin new
ones. FluSafe facilities have access to
evidence-based tools and materials that
reflect the most current vaccination
information and best practice guidelines.
FluSafe supports e-Health standards.
FluSafe uses MIIC to measure health care
personnel flu vaccination rates. Using MIIC
is central to the Minnesota e-Health
initiative and “meaningful use” objectives
for hospitals. See Minnesota e-Health
(http://www.health.state.mn.us/ehealth/index.html) for more information
about e-Health and meaningful use.
Questions?
Email us at [email protected].
*Definition of “health care personnel”
For purposes of FluSafe, this includes all
paid employees who are physically present
in the health care facility for at least one
working day from Oct. 1 through March 31.
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