Visibility of Vaccination
and How Do We
Improve?
What is Pneumonia?
Pneumonia is an infection of
the lower respiratory tract or
alveoli
Pneumonia is the most
common infectious cause of
death in children and adults.
The most common causative
agent in adult pneumonia is
streptococcus pneumoniae
How Much Does Pneumonia Cost?
Mortality rate of 30-40%
A study among Medicare patients showed
healthcare costs the year after a pneumonia
hospitalization to be $15,682 higher than
control patients without pneumonia
Total annual cost of hospital-treated
pneumonia in elderly Medicare patients in
2010 was estimated at > 7 billion dollars
What is the True cost?
Time in the hospital
Cost of medication (out-of-pocket)
Burden on family
Quality of life:
Travel
Freedom
Health
Family
What is the Pneumonia Vaccine?
The bacteria streptococcus pneumoniae accounts for
up to 75% of cases of pneumonia in otherwise healthy
adults
Streptococcus pneumoniae has over 90 different
serotypes
Pneumovax covers 23 of these serotypes that cause the
vast majority of infections
Prevnar covers 13 of these serotypes and is designed to
stimulate less developed immune systems.
How does it work?
The pneumonia vaccine, like other vaccines
stimulates the body to develop antibodies to a
specific microbe
The pneumonia vaccines are targeted against
the most common types of the most causative
agent of pneumonia, streptococcus
pneumoniae
Neither Pneumovax nor Prevnar prevent
against other causative agents of pneumonia
such as viruses or fungi
Risks of the Pneumococcal Vaccine
Fortunately there are few adverse reactions
with the pneumococcal vaccination such as:
-Injection site pain, soreness, and
tenderness (60% of patients)
-Injection site swelling / induration
(20.3%)
-Headache (17.6%)
-Injection-site erythema (16.4%)
-Ashthenia & fatigue (13.2%)
-Myalgia (11.9%)
Confusion Over Pneumonia Vaccines
Language from the CDC:
The Guidelines Clarified
Who else would benefit?
Adults ages 19-64 with:
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Immunocompromising conditions or asplenia (anatomical or
functional)
Ceberobrospinal fluid leaks or cochlear implants
Chronic heart disease
Chronic lung disease
Chronic liver disease
Chronic renal failure
Alcoholism
Diabetes mellitus
Smoke cigarettes
Reside in nursing homes or long-term care facilities
Where is the Vaccine Available?
Physicians office
Clinics
Pharmacies!!!
“Community pharmacies are uniquely positioned to
increase immunization rates in the United States. In a
2009 survey, only 20% to 30% of internists and family
physicians stocked all vaccines recommended by the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC),
with nearly 80% not planning to increase their offerings
and 2% planning to stop carrying them altogether”
Pharmacies…Lot’s of competition
How Can a Pharmacy Stand Out?
Signage
Handouts
Call lists
Vaccination clinics
Counseling and talking with patients
“Pharmacists who talked with patients about
their risk for pneumococcal disease were able
to increase vaccination rates in their pharmacy
greater than those in traditional care settings”
So How Do We Make Vaccination
More Visible
“Drumming up business”
Simply talking with patients has been
proven by studies to increase vaccination
the most
Making Vaccination More Visible
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Talking with regular patients
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Talking with patients getting other vaccinations
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Automatically generated call lists of eligible
patients for vaccines
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“Advertising” vaccinations and the pharmacy on
store receipts
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Vaccination days with an immunizing pharmacist
located in the front of the store
Where We Give Vaccinations
Chain Drug Stores and Clinics
Vs.
Our Vaccine Locations
What This Means to Us
Healthier patients
Happier patients
Developing a relationship with patients
Developing trust for additional
immunizations:
-Travel immunizations
-Zostavax
-Yearly Influenza