Emergency Preparedness in the Workplace: The Flulapalooza Model for Mass Vaccination.

EMERGENCY management; INFLUENZA vaccines; INDUSTRIAL hygiene; VANDERBILT University. Medical Center; INCIDENT command systems; MEDICAL care; ASSOCIATIONS, institutions, etc.; HEALTH care industry; U.S. states; ACADEMIC medical centers; CHI-squared test; COLLEGE students; CONFIDENCE intervals; CROWDS; IMMUNIZATION; MEDICAL personnel; MEDICAL protocols; PROBABILITY theory; RESEARCH; TASK performance; HUMAN services programs; PLANNING techniques; EVALUATION of human services programs; DESCRIPTIVE statistics

UNITED States; TENNESSEE

Objectives. To explore whether an emergency preparedness structure is a feasible, efficient, and sustainable way for health care organizations to manage mass vaccination events. Methods. We used the Hospital Incident Command System to conduct a 1-day annual mass influenza vaccination event at Vanderbilt University Medical Center over 5 successive years (2011–2015). Using continuous quality improvement principles, we assessed whether changes in layout, supply management, staffing, and documentation systems improved efficiency. Results. A total of 66 591 influenza vaccines were administered at 5 annual Flulapalooza events; 13 318 vaccines per event on average. Changes to the physical layout, staffing mix, and documentation processes improved vaccination efficiency 74%, from approximately 38 to 67 vaccines per hour per vaccinator, while reducing overall staffing needs by 38%. An unexpected finding was the role of social media in facilitating active engagement. Conclusions. Health care organizations can use a closed point-of-dispensing model and Hospital Incident Command System to conduct mass vaccination events, and can adopt the “Flulapalooza method” as a best practice model to enhance efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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