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IDSA, SHEA, PIDS voice support for universal HCW immunization
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The Infectious Diseases Society of America, the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society released a joint policy statement supporting mandatory immunizations for all health care workers with the vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
“Although some voluntary [health care worker] vaccination programs have been effective when combined with strong institutional leadership and robust educational campaigns, mandatory immunization programs are the most effective way to increase [health care worker] vaccination rates,” the statement read. “As such, when voluntary programs fail to achieve immunization of at least 90% of [health care workers], the Societies support [health care worker] policies that require [health care worker] documentation of immunity or receipt of ACIP-recommended vaccinations as a condition of employment, unpaid service, or receipt of professional privileges.”
The societies’ rationale for recommending universal immunization for health care workers (HCWs) includes the following:
- Immunizing HCWs against vaccine-preventable diseases protects patients and HCWs against illness and death associated with those diseases.
- Immunization reduces absences from work.
- Immunization rates for ACIP-recommended vaccines are low among HCWs.
- Mandatory immunizations are necessary when voluntary programs fail.
- ACIP vaccines are safe, effective and cost-effective.
- Educational programs alone are not sufficient to increase compliance with vaccination programs.
- Immunization compliance increases when vaccines are provided at no cost.
- Physicians and other health care providers have an ethical and moral obligation to their patients to prevent the transmission of vaccine-preventable diseases.
According to Jeffrey Duchin, MD, chair of IDSA’s Public Health Committee, the goal of the joint recommendation is to increase immunization coverage among HCWs to at least 90%, resulting in fewer opportunities for the transmission of infections to patients and fewer nosocomial outbreaks.
Jeffrey Duchin
“Regardless of whether you practice in a hospital or in a solo practice, getting vaccinated in line with the ACIP’s recommendations will protect both health care employees and patients, and we as physicians all have a duty not to make our patients sick,” Duchin told Infectious Disease News. “This is the easiest and most cost-effective way to prevent hurting our patients and keep everyone healthy.”
A list of the ACIP’s recommended vaccines can be found by clicking here. — John Schoen
Perspective
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Thomas R. Talbot, MD, MPH, FSHEA, FIDSA
I strongly support ensuring that all health care professionals are compliant with recommended immunizations in order to protect themselves, their patients and their colleagues as a part of a comprehensive infection prevention program (eg, hand hygiene, reduction of presenteeism, use of isolation precautions, etc). The impact on vaccination coverage remains to be seen, but influenza vaccination experience has taught us that programs in which vaccination is a condition of employment that is fully supported by leadership as a key safety measure result in exceptionally high vaccination rates.
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