Kalamazoo County Adult Immunization Task Force Kalamazoo County Human Services Department Presented by Lynne Norman

Why is the task force beneficial? Unified message to the community Workload is truly shared by all coalition members Number of influenza vaccinations given have increased each year, from 27,147 in 2000 to 31,657 in 2003 This coalition has been so helpful to me, with the difficult flu seasons we’ve faced these past 3 years this has been a wonderful asset.

Task force began winter of 2000 Initial goal was to bring together public health, health care provider offices, hospitals, aging and home health agencies to coordinate efforts to increase the number of persons 50 and over receiving influenza, pneumonia and tetanus vaccines. In 1997, pneumonia and influenza together ranked 4th as cause of death in Kalamazoo County 3

Members Area Agencies on Aging Borgess CorpFit Borgess ProMed Offices Borgess Visiting Nurses Association Bronson Hospital Infection Control Bronson Home Health Care Chief Medical Officer for Kalamazoo County Kalamazoo County Public Health Nurses Public Health Preparedness Director United Nursing Services All of these agencies participate.

Through our members we reach: All hospitals in the county The majority of health care provider offices The major home health agencies All the major providers of influenza vaccine

Communications with members Members are on an email list All CDC Influenza Bulletins are distributed through the group, as well as other pertinent immunization information The members then forward the information on within their organization Educational mailings go through group, using interoffice mail at no cost Examples of mailings Posters for health care providers waiting rooms Use of vaccine standing orders information Information is distributed quickly and at no cost to public health.

Major accomplishments in 2003 and 2004 Put up bill boards emphasizing the need for adult immunizations in October and November Placed bill boards in areas of town with lowest immunization rates Funding provided by a private sector, task force members Mailings to all homes, with persons 50 or above, in targeted zip codes, expressing need for influenza vaccine Letter signed by Dr. Tooker, Chief Medical Officer Had excellent response to the letter Cost of mailing covered by members These accomplishments could not have happened without the funding provided by the private sector members.

Specific Flu Season Collaborations We post each others flu hotline numbers and flu clinic schedules on each of our hotlines and web pages Work together to be sure underserved populations are getting reached We have flu clinics at area schools, with Visiting Nurses(unable to do 2004) Visiting Nurses vaccinates persons over 18 We vaccinate persons under 18 From surveying the group in 2002 it was apparent that our older population had been adequately served, but, no one was offering flu vaccine to children in out clinics.

Influenza Vaccine delay or shortage issues Use identical screening tool/protocols Begin flu clinics at the same time through out the county We all agree on a date to open clinics to low risk We give a unified message to the media Last December when most of us ran out of vaccine, one agency still had 400 doses. As a group we set up a plan of action so the highest risk would have access to those doses. We all called persons on our high risk lists to notify them of the vaccine availability.

2004 Influenza Shortage As a group we held an emergency meeting on October 7th, one day after CDC’s announcement We then met twice the following week We took inventory of available vaccine doses in the community We choose to stop all influenza clinics for one week to regroup and assess our communities situation

2004 Decisions One large health organization had vaccine while many others had none We looked at highest risk populations Doses were sold to medical providers who served highest risk clients As a group we picked one day to all hold clinics This was an easy message for the media to get out for us Our screening tools were identical

Influenza vaccinations given by selected immunizers As you can see, since 2000, the number of flu shots administered by public health has declined while the total number given has increased. This has been a necessity given the decreased funding for public health in the state of Michigan over the past years.

Other benefits of group Emergency preparedness collaborations Regional Smallpox vaccination plan County mass medication clinic planning West Nile Virus information Any information that needs to be quickly disseminated can effectively be sent through the list serve group.

Overview This group has simplified communication between public health and the private health care provider Given our community a unified, consistent message, when dealing with difficult flu seasons Increased the number of persons receiving influenza vaccination This group has been a god-send for Kalamazoo county during the last three, problematic flu seasons, and getting through the bioterrorism hurdles we now face.