Cluster RCT - Evaluating Effectiveness of a Guide and Tools for Influenza Immunization Campaign Planners

During the 2010-2011 and the 2011-2012 seasonal influenza immunization campaigns, we will recruit a minimum of 46 healthcare organizations to either conduct their campaigns as usual or to use the "Successful Influenza Immunization Campaigns for Healthcare Personnel: A Guide for Campaign Planners and a web-based grab-and-go Tool Kit. At the end of the campaign season we will evaluate the impact of the Guide and web-based tools and assess whether there were changes in immunization rates within each organization and/or if there were significant changes in the management of the campaigns across organizations.

Following completion of the study, we will work with partner organizations to make these tools available to all Canadian healthcare organizations.

Keeping nurses, physicians and allied health professionals working during seasonal influenza epidemics is essential. Influenza immunization has been shown to mitigate the adverse health outcomes associated with influenza in the community. When provided to healthcare personnel, influenza vaccine reduces the frequency and severity of influenza outbreaks and reduces influenza-associated morbidity and mortality among patients by reducing the transmission of influenza from healthcare personnel to their vulnerable patients.

Despite abundant evidence of the safety and efficacy of the influenza vaccine, immunization rates among healthcare personnel in hospital and long-term settings remain well below the public health target of 90%. Current initiatives targeted at increasing healthcare personnel immunization rates are having limited success with healthcare personnel immunization rates as low as 2%, but averaging 40% - 60% in most healthcare facilities being reported.

Following the work of the research team over the past two years, a Guide, called "Successful Influenza Immunization Campaigns for Healthcare Personnel: A Guide for Campaign Planners" has been developed, along with web-based "grab and go" tools (the Toolkit). This practical Guide is structured to facilitate the use of the evidence-based research on strategies to increase immunization rates by healthcare planners.

Eligibility Criteria:
Inclusion Criteria:

At least 46 healthcare organizations from across Canada will be selected to participate in the study.

The Guide is designed to be used across different types of healthcare organizations. Potential healthcare organizations will be self-identified, recommended by a project team member, and/or selected from the Canadian Healthcare Association's Guide to Healthcare Facilities. Selected sites must meet the following eligibility criteria:

* Canadian healthcare organizations who conduct seasonal influenza immunization campaigns
* Have a systematic approach to collecting healthcare personnel immunization rates and be able to provide accurate and timely reports of immunization rates for categories of healthcare personnel
* Agree to be randomized to receive the Guide or receive no intervention
* If randomized to receive the Guide, the organization, including the campaign team and senior management, agrees to commit to adhere to the steps in the Guide to plan, implement, monitor and evaluate their campaign

Exclusion Criteria:

Healthcare organizations who do not meet the above criteria