Education is nice, but motion is best

Since April of last 12 months, a big a part of my work has been reading, researching, and writing in regards to the H1N1 flu. Many friends, members of the family, and coworkers knew about it and got here to me for information in regards to the virus after which, in the autumn, in regards to the H1N1 vaccine.

I admit I used to be initially skeptical in regards to the vaccine; nevertheless, I made the choice to follow the CDC recommendations and get the shot. I called my doctor’s office… “No vaccine yet.” That was the reply for just a few weeks. In the meantime, my kids got their shots at college (seasonal and H1N1), and my husband got each shots at work (he’s a respiratory therapist). We all got… FLU! H1N1? Maybe.

So here it’s, January twentieth, and I still have not gotten my vaccine. I used to be considering skipping the seasonal and H1N1 vaccines this 12 months since we’re up to now into flu season. And then last week, in open letter to Americans, the CDC jogged my memory (and the remainder of the American people) that flu season traditionally lasts until May. In the identical letter, I also learned that there are actually over 110 million doses of the H1N1 vaccine available. Great, I believed, I’ll try this! I called my primary care office to schedule my seasonal and H1N1 shots, but I wasn’t in a position to schedule them because while they’ve the vaccines, they don’t have enough staff to manage them. I used to be instructed to call back next week.

This got me pondering… While it’s great to coach and encourage people to get vaccinated, how can we make it easier for them? A colleague recently needed multiple vaccinations, in addition to a chickenpox antibody test, for an upcoming trip abroad. Fortunately, she was in a position to get all of her needs met through the occupational health service where she works. While I’m glad my colleague was in a position to get her needs met in a timely manner, in a single visit, in a convenient location, wouldn’t it be as easy for a layperson? My husband got each of his vaccines at work during his shift – great for him, but what in regards to the patients he cares for who should wait for appointments and can have to schedule multiple visits to get their needs met?

While educating patients and the general public about caring for their health is a fantastic idea, how can we improve the system?