March 11, 2009

Dear Colleague:

On behalf of Joint Commission Resources, I want to thank you for your participation in the Flu Vaccination Challenge (FVC), an initiative designed to increase flu vaccination rates among health care workers. We are extremely proud to report that more than 1,700 hospitals across the country – at least one hospital in each state – have participated in the FVC. We are certainly encouraged by the sheer volume of participants as it is a clear indication of your commitment to patient safety.

As we approach the end of the flu season, we look forward with great optimism to the results of the inaugural FVC. As you know, our goal was to increase the flu vaccination rate among health care workers within participating hospitals across the country to exceed the national average.  In order to determine our collective success and provide recognition, please complete the following survey regarding your organization’s participation.

http://www.zoomerang.com/Survey/?p=WEB228S5SEPDGG

We ask that you please provide this information by April 15, 2009, so that we can review the data and recognize all participating organizations that report a health care worker vaccination rate of 43 percent or more. A certificate will be mailed electronically to all hospitals that have achieved this goal.

We applaud you, and your colleagues, for taking the necessary steps to ensure that your staff and ultimately, your patients have remained flu-free this season. Thank you for your participation in this initiative and your commitment to patient safety.

Regards,

Charles Macfarlane
Vice President, Learning
Joint Commission Resources
www.FluVaccinationChallenge.com