​Offering healthcare workers one day off from work as a reward for getting the flu vaccine was the intervention associated with the greatest increase in vaccination rates, according to a study in the June 2018 issue of the Journal of Hospital Infection. The authors analyzed actions taken to increase flu vaccinations for healthcare workers in Greece during the 2016-2017 flu season. Greece currently has no legislative framework mandating vaccinations for healthcare workers. Use of reward systems overall was associated with an increase in vaccinations, the authors reported; giving workers one day off was the reward that led to the greatest increase. Other reward systems included verbal rewards and giving an award to the clinic that saw the greatest increase in vaccination rate. Facilities should estimate the cost-effectiveness of a day-off reward strategy before implementing one, the authors said.

HRC Recommends: Despite the importance of healthcare worker vaccination, participation in vaccination programs has yielded mixed results and often depends on the vaccine and sometimes the vaccine program. In order to promote vaccination, many healthcare facilities have worked to educate their employees about vaccines and the diseases they prevent, in addition to making the vaccines available, often for free. No single specific method will make a vaccination campaign successful; rather, facilities must pursue a multifaceted approach to increasing vaccination rates. Reasonable accommodations should be provided for employees who have concerns.