Transcript IMPROVING IN THE ELDERLY THE COMMUNICATION ABOUT

IMPROVING THE COMMUNICATION ABOUT THE
VACCINATION
AND THE AVAILABILITY TOWARDS
VACCINAL CAMPAIGNS AGAINST INFLUENZA IN THE
ELDERLY :
A LOCAL PROJECT IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
IN NORTH EAST ITALY
Filippo de Nicolellis, MD
Primary Health Care, AAS 2 “Bassa Friulana - Isontina”
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
THE COMMUNICATION AND THE ORGANIZATION OF
THE VACCINATION AGAINST INFLUENZA IN A
RURAL AREA OF FRIULI VENEZIA GIULIA IN THE
FIELD OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE:
AN EXPERIENCE
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
A LOCAL E-NETWORK
TO KEEP DOCTORS INFORMED
WHY A LOCAL E-NETWORK DEALING WITH MEDICAL
INFORMATION ABOUT INFECTIOUS DISEASES?
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
At the time of SARS contagion,
it emerged the need to improve the information
provided by the Public Health Service.
Some of the doctors operating in the territory,
especially in rural areas, have decided to use the Internet
to rapidly exchange information
about possible clinical cases in the area.
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
“SARS” DISPATCH
At the moment, the “SARS” Dispatch
is being addressed to 106 doctors
out of 1,300 around all the area.
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
AIM OF THE PROJECT
To optimize the number of vaccinated people
in a specific area of Bassa Friulana.
This aim is still complex in a country
where family doctors do not have
an organized structure and rather perform a work still
based
on the principle of expectancy,
with a limited space for initiative.
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
The vaccination against influenza is free and voluntary for:
1) patients over 65 years old
2) all the people involved in essential services
3) people suffering from serious pathologies
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
In the Fall of 2014,
in Italy it occurred a press campaign,
after some deaths among elder people.
They had been vaccinated against influenza one or two
days before.
The rate of vaccinated patients felt in Friuli Venezia Giulia
compared to the other regions of Italy.
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
ORGANIZATION AND PROMOTION
OF VACCINATION FOR PATIENTS
I prearranged the communication via e-mail to the
interested patients to:
1) improve the quality of the information
about characteristics, dates and methods
2) increase the number over-65-year-old patients
who agree on taking the vaccination
3) have enough available vaccine to meet the requests
of patients.
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
METHODS TO IMPROVE THE
QUALITY OF THE INFORMATION
PROVIDED TO PATIENTS
1) COMMON METHODS
A) posters and leaflets provided by primary care trusts.
B) information papers reporting the dates of
vaccination sessions in my office.
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
INNOVATIVE METHODS
E-mail communications sent to 378 out of 1,425 patients of my office
who are provided with an Internet connection.
Three e-mails have been sent:
1) “advance notice” e-mails, a month before the effective beginning
of the vaccination campaign
2) e-mails confirming the beginning of the campaign, including the
dates of the first sessions (six sessions during the month of
November)
3) e-mails reporting about later dates and including information
about the end of the vaccination session within the 22nd of
December (four to six further available dates).
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
METHODS
I started as a family doctor, expert in Infectious Diseases,
and as the president of the local medical and cultural
association,“CROCE MEDICA”, so I deal with two aspects:
1) THE PATIENTS (with communication and information
about the vaccinations available in my office).
2) THE COLLEGUES (with information about the
vaccination against Influenza, updates on its forms,
and other infectious diseases related to the activity of
family doctors).
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
TO INCREASE
THE SPREAD OF VACCINATION
The e-mails remind patients about the vaccination dates
as well as they promote a new way to contact the family
doctor and to receive more information about the
vaccination.
The information by e-mails has also facilitated the patients’
self-organization.
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
TO HAVE ENOUGH
AVAILABLE VACCINE
1) Personally reserving the vaccine dose in the doctor’s office.
2) Constantly having the situation under control.
3) Asking for the vaccine doses realistically corresponding
to the patients requests.
4) Being able to guarantee vaccination to all the entitled people.
5) Reducing wastefulness.
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
A LOCAL NETWORK
TO KEEP DOCTORS INFORMED
The Association CROCE MEDICA, along with S.M.I.,
(The Italian Union of Doctors) took the initiative
to issue an on-line dispatch called “SARS”
sent to 106 doctors.
The dispatch, besides influenza virus,
is sometimes about other epidemic diseases
which might concern also Friuli Venezia Giulia,
such as West Nile virus, Chikungunya virus,
Metapneumovirus and, recently, Ebola virus.
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
THE INFORMATION FEEDBACK
Unfortunately, the information feedback is still scarce and
it is limited to an average of 4 out of 106 doctors, who
send information in relation to each yearly issue.
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
OUTCOME
There has been a small increase in the participation in
the vaccination campaign against influenza
in the last years.
This outcome may be interpreted in several ways…
According to the improvement of communication?
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
VACCINATION CAMPAIGN 2012-2013
VACCINATED PEOPLE
OVER 65 YEARS OLD = 55,7% (LOCAL RATE)
VACCINATION CAMPAIGN 2013-2014
VACCINATED PEOPLE
OVER 65 YEARS OLD= 56% (LOCAL RATE)
AND…
VACCINATION CAMPAIGN 2014-2015
VACCINATED PEOPLE
OVER 65 YEARS OLD= 53,9
(LOCAL RATE, while the press campaign was running...)
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015
BUT….
VACCINATION CAMPAIGN 2014-2015
REGIONAL RATE= 48%
Atlanta, GA, USA, December 9th, 2015