A Quality Improvement Project To Improve Influenza Vaccination Rates Among Employees At An Onsite Employer-Based Health Clinic

Background In the United States, millions of people contract the flu each year. Immunization has been shown to provide the best protection against the flu. Increasing flu vaccination rates can reduce the number of patients who get the flu and seek care for non-specific symptoms thus making detection of the coronavirus more efficient. Method A quality improvement project was implemented to increase the number of influenza vaccines received by employees at an onsite employer-based health clinic. Anonymous pre- and post-surveys were used to assess the flu knowledge of employees. Employees from a large financial group, who voluntarily participated, received an educational handout at the onsite health fair or at a lunch and learn. Full-time employees who carried their employer's health insurance were eligible to participate, whereas, dependents and contract employees were excluded. Findings The number of employees who received the vaccination increased during the fall of 2019 (n = 406) when compared with the previous year (n = 337). Nineteen percent (n = 170) of employees completed surveys. There were statistically significantly more post- than pre-survey responses reflecting the participants' perceived knowledge of influenza and the flu vaccine. The majority of participants in both the pre- and post-surveys reported that they learned "a lot" about both influenza and the flu vaccine. Conclusion Providing education and access to the vaccine in the workplace may improve flu knowledge, reduce barriers, and increase flu vaccine uptake among employees.