H1N1

Sewbusy~RN · Nov 14, 2009

Where I work you either get the vaccine or wear a N95 mask for the next 5 months. I'm not sure what they'll do when we run out of masks. I got the vaccine, I can't imagine having to wear a mask for 13 hours!

Home Health Columnist / Guide · Nov 14, 2009

there is nothing wrong with a facility requesting staff to sign a form for receiving or declining a vaccination as proof it offered vaccination to employees and to track any issues with immunization provided.

medicare and insurance company reimbursement under "quality of care pay for performance measures" is being tied to rates of immunization for patients and staff-- just one of the standards they look out.

withholding payment occurs when measures not met.

from medscape:

does pay-for-performance influence the quality of care?

pay-for-performance programmes are now firmly entrenched in the payment systems of american public and private insurers. a recent survey of 252 health maintenance organizations (hmos) drawn from 41 metropolitan areas in the united states reported that more than half of the hmos, representing more than 80% of enrollees, use pay-for-performance in their provider contracts

rise of pay for performance: implications for care of people with ...

pay for performance is now spreading to other countries: us pay-for-performance initiative

lamazeteacher · Nov 15, 2009

Does anyone know if you can be held responsible if you refuse the H1N1 or flu vaccine at your hospital and you get either the flu or H1N1 . Our hospital is making people sign if they refuse the vaccines they say it is a DPH law. The problem is they are also making threats to those who do not want the vaccine that they can be penalized.

Continue working there only if you want to continue being lied to, or it's the only place in town to work!

No Departrment of Health would ever penalize someone who became ill and stayed home. That's their recommendation - to stay home if you become ill with s/s of flu. The vaccine doesn't confer 100% immunity, so you could still get it even though you had the vaccine - then who's fault is it?

When Hepatitis B vaccine became available, many people wanted others to take it first; and hospitals didn't want the responsibility of occupational exposures to it, so even now signatures are required when you take a new job, if you refuse the vaccine there. Just put "had it elsewhere" (if that's true) before your signature. :up:

However, I do recommend that you have the vaccine, for your sake and the health of others exposed to you.