Few adults are getting recommended vaccines, and patients with chronic conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and asthma/COPD are at higher risk of complications from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Many factors influence low rates of adult immunization, but research indicates that a physician’s strong recommendation is a powerful motivator for adults to get vaccinated.
Even physicians who do not provide vaccinations in their practice can play an important role in protecting their patients’ health simply by recommending they get vaccinated against serious diseases like influenza, tetanus, whooping cough, shingles, hepatitis A and B, and pneumococcal disease.
There are a number of evidence-based strategies that you can adopt in your practice to effectively incorporate vaccine needs assessment and recommendation into your practice, including computerized record reminders, chart reminders mailed/telephoned reminders, and standing orders:
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/reminder-sys.htm
Additional Resources
Recommended schedule for adult immunization
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/adult.html
Free patient education materials on adult vaccination:
www.cdc.gov/vaccines/hcp/patient-ed/adults