In just a few months, hospitals and health systems nationwide will start working to vaccinate as many staff as possible against the flu. And a new study suggests that more of those hospitals than ever before will require employees to get vaccinated, or seek an exemption. That means more patients could avoid catching the flu while receiving health care -- a key goal for improving patient safety.
In all, the new study shows that 96% of the hospitals that serve America's veterans, and 74% of hospitals serving the general public, now require staff to get vaccinated against influenza or seek an exemption. Another 23% of non-Veterans Administration hospitals strongly encourage but don't require flu vaccination. Whether or not they have a mandate, 81% of non-VA hospitals require unvaccinated workers to wear a mask around patients during flu season.
Published in JAMA Network Open , the study was done by a team from the University of Michigan and VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System that has surveyed hospitals on this topic since 2013. Their latest survey reveals the massive impact of a 2020 Veterans Health Administration directive to require flu vaccination or waivers for the first time. In 2013, only 1% of VA hospitals had such a mandate; the percentage rose slightly to 4% by 2017.
Meanwhile, flu vaccination or a waiver was required by 43% of non-VA hospitals in 2013, rising to nearly 70% in 2017. Our findings show the impact of one of the largest health care systems in the United States .
