Implementation of an anti-flu vaccination campaign in a hospital pharmacy service.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the impact of the implementation of an  influenza vaccination campaign in a hospital pharmacy service on  patients who are starting or receiving treatment with biological  therapies.

METHOD

A 15-month quasi-experimental study of patients starting or receiving treatment with biological therapies. Between October and  December 2016 and October and December 2017, we compared  influenza vaccination rates, the incidence of influenza in the study  population, the direct impact of the vaccination campaign on the  patient, the effect of the campaign on vaccination rates, and the results  of the satisfaction survey.

RESULTS

A total of 188 patients participated in the study. Of the  patients who had not been vaccinated in the 2016/2017 campaign,  72.6% were vaccinated (p < 0.000) during the 2017/2018 campaign.  No statistically significant differences were found between the  2016/2017 and 2017/2018 campaign (p = 0.636) in the percentage of  patients who contracted flu after receiving the vaccine. In total, 99.5%  thought that the campaign was a good initiative, and 50.5% reported  that their decision to be vaccinated was influenced by the fact that the  campaign was led by the hospital pharmacy service.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of the influenza vaccination  campaign in the hospital pharmacy service achieved led to a marked  increase in vaccination rates. This result underlines the key role played  by the hospital pharmacy service in achieving this level of success.