Flu Vaccine Distribution

Long Term Care Associations Collaborate With CDC, Aventis Pasteur To Direct Distribution Plans Of Flu Vaccine To Frail, Elderly Populations

October 25, 2004

New Survey to Determine Need for Vaccines in Long Term Care Facilities

Washington, DC - In a coordinated effort to develop an effective distribution plan for flu vaccines to the long term care priority group, Aventis Pasteur, the American Health Care Association (AHCA), the National Center For Assisted Living (NCAL) and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have developed a survey to appropriately identify vaccine needs. Aventis Pasteur is the firm providing flu vaccine, and AHCA and NCAL are organizations representing long term care facilities nationwide.

The web-based survey is available at www.ahca.org. AHCA/NCAL, as well as Aventis Pasteur, the CDC, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and other associations - including the Long Term Care Pharmacy Alliance, the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, the Senior Care Pharmacy Alliance and the American College of Health Care Administrators - strongly encourage all long term care facilities including nursing homes, assisted living residences and intermediate care facilities for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities complete it by Friday, October 29, 2004. Facilities will be asked to supply information including the number of patients and residents and staff who need vaccinations so distribution plans can be formulated to provide sufficient doses for the vulnerable frail elderly populations and for persons with disabilities who have chronic medical conditions.

Patients and residents of nursing homes and long term care facilities, as well as health care workers with direct patient contact are both considered among the priority groups for influenza vaccination by the CDC....

This new survey will allow each facility to identify for the makers of the flu vaccine and the CDC their precise need, as categorized by their previous vaccination order, and will assist with directing essential vaccines to long term care facilities in need....

In order to complete the survey at www.ahca.org facilities must have available the following information: the number of beds and direct care staff at the facility, the name and address of the supplier (i.e., pharmacy) with which they placed their initial vaccination order prior to October 5, 2004, the quantity of that order and the name and address of the distributor that was to provide the vaccine to their supplier.

Source: American Health Care Association

The full article can be found at:  http://www.longtermcareprovider.com/nl/132319/841987