JCR is excited to announce the launch of the 2011-2012 Flu Vaccination Challenge – a nationwide charge to health care organizations to increase flu vaccination among staff. 

Since 2008, The Flu Vaccination Challenge has helped health care organizations to steadily raise staff vaccination rates for flu. With the 2011-2012 Flu Vaccination Challenge, JCR aims to continue increasing flu vaccination rates among health care workers, since flu vaccination for health care workers is important not only to help protect themselves, but also to reduce the risk of flu infection for patients or the individuals served. 

For the 2011-2012 flu season, organizations are encouraged to achieve at least a 75 percent flu vaccination rate among staff and to strive for the 85% or 95% tier.     
 
JCR will recognize organizations that “meet” the Challenge with a Bronze, Silver or Gold Recognition Award for their dedication to helping keep their staff and patients healthy by vaccinating against the flu.

To participate in this year’s Challenge, click the “Join the Challenge!” button on this page. Registration lasts until February 28, 2012, and results submission will begin in March.
 

Want to know how participants did last season?

• 17 percent (n=142) achieved a Gold Recognition Award (95% or higher)
• 22 percent (n=177) achieved a Silver Recognition Award (85-94%)
• 27 percent (n=255) achieved a Bronze Recognition Award (75-84%)
   
• Participating health care organizations achieved an average vaccination rate of 80 percent among staff – 16 percentage points higher than the national flu vaccination average for health care workers*
• More than 1,200 health care organizations participated in the 2010-2011 Flu Vaccination Challenge. Of the organizations that submitted data (n=826), 60 percent increased their flu vaccination coverage among staff from the previous season
• As part of The Flu Vaccination Challenge, approximately 780,000 health care workers were vaccinated against the flu during the 2010-2011 flu season

Learn how to submit your Best Practices

Background

In 2008, JCR launched The Flu Vaccination Challenge to help increase flu immunization rates among health care workers (HCWs) above the national average of 49 percent.**

During the 2009-2010 flu season, the second year of The Flu Vaccination Challenge yielded an average immunization rate of 76 percent - a 13 percent increase over the rate reported in 2008-2009 and 27 percent above the national flu vaccination average among health care workers.

For the 2010-2011 flu season, The Flu Vaccination Challenge encouraged health care organizations to achieve a 75, 85 or 95 percent vaccination rate among employees.

Questions

Funding and other editorial support for The Flu Vaccination Challenge has been provided by GlaxoSmithKline.

*Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Influenza Vaccination Coverage Among Health-Care Personnel – 2010-2011. http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/wk/mm6032.pdf

**Results from the NHIS, 2007-2009 & NIS, 2006-2008.