Flu is more than a season: What your hospital should do year round
February 15, 2018
CONTRIBUTOR
Laura Drucker Mueller
Essential Insights contributor, healthcare writer
Featured expert
Cynthia Previte
Senior Category Manager, Laboratory Products, Cardinal Health
Sue Champion
Director, Clinical Operations, Cardinal Health
John Kilgour
VP, Specialty Pharmaceutical Distribution Sales, Cardinal Health
This year's flu season started early, and public health officials say it's not expected to let up anytime soon.
By the start of February, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) flu map showed widespread activity of the illness in 48 states and Puerto Rico, with elevated rates of flu-related outpatient visits in all regions. All of this — along with challenges of the H3N2 strain and the severity of its symptoms — has led to increased attention and media coverage.
Although we may be in the midst of a flu season now, the fight against the flu is really is a year-round process. While it's difficult to predict the severity of any flu season before it occurs, there are concrete steps that health systems can take throughout the year to be better prepared.
What you can do now
At this point in the flu season, many hospitals have been making use of temporary surge tents and restrictive visitor policies to help contain the spread of the illness. Here are some more strategies that can help.
Know which flu diagnostic tests meet the latest requirements. In an effort to improve the performance and sensitivity of Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Tests (RIDTs), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently began to enforce a reclassification of the tests from Class I to Class II devices. That means the tests now have to meet stricter standards set forth by the FDA and be tested yearly against the proposed circulating influenza strains.
“To meet the Class II requirements established by the FDA, the test must meet higher sensitivity and specificity metrics for both Influenza A and Influenza B," said Cynthia Previte, a senior category manager for the infectious disease and point-of-care portfolio in Laboratory Products at Cardinal Health. “The goal of the proposed reclassification was to improve performance and confidence in both positive and negative patient results."
Tests not meeting the Class II requirements can no longer be marketed, sold or distributed. However, healthcare facilities can use tests not meeting the Class II requirements until their expiration date, but should understand these tests provide reduced sensitivity and specificity, increasing the chance of false negative test results.
Support workforce health. You can't care for sick patients if your staff is sick too, which is why it's crucial to follow adequate flu protection procedures.
“Staff should keep their scrubs separate from non-work clothes, including washing them separately,” advised Sue Champion, director of Clinical Operations at Cardinal Health. (Download our Top 5 Tips to keep your staff safe.)
Champion also recommended hospitals and other facilities follow the CDC's infection control basics, which include precautions such as performing hand hygiene, using personal protective equipment, and limiting the transport and movement of patients.
What you can do for the next flu season
"Flu is more than just a season," said John Kilgour, who oversees the Cardinal Health Flu Vaccine Program. "A comprehensive flu plan means being prepared and staying informed year-round." And one of the best ways to prepare is by pre-booking flu vaccines and supplies so you know your facility will have what it needs when the season does roll around.
Kilgour also offered a month-by-month flu plan that helps health facilities stay on top of the season long before it comes to a head. Here's what he recommended:
January – May: “Even in winter, when flu season is still at its height, it's important to be looking ahead,” Kilgour said. Start learning about what vaccines are being planned for the next year, and place your pre-book order as early as possible. Previte also recommended facilities identify and make preparations to move to a flu kit that meets the FDA Class II requirements to be prepared for next flu season, if they have not already.
May – July: Evaluate your pre-book order again considering your health system's needs and make sure you've ordered enough. Now is the time to order more if you'll need it. Kilgour also recommended using this time to "finalize your vaccination strategy and clinic dates."
July – October: This is when the FDA approves and releases a year's flu vaccine, and if you've pre-booked, this is when you'll receive your product. It's also the time to begin giving vaccinations. Continue to evaluate your needs and make sure you've accurately ordered the correct supply.
October – December: "Forecasting for the next pre-book begins by determining the success of the current season and opportunities for improving in the next," Kilgour said. Even if you're still vaccinating, you should also be digging into the data and seeing how successful you were with ordering product and getting your patient population protected.
And though a flu pandemic is relatively rare, proper planning includes preparing for the worst-case scenario. The CDC offers a Hospital Pandemic Influenza Planning Checklist that can help you improve your pandemic preparedness.
You can't predict exactly how each flu season will unfold, but you can control how well you handle it and how prepared you are for the next one. Put a plan into place that effectively allows you to track and evaluate your hospital's flu response so that no matter what the flu season throws at you, you're ready for it.
And if it feels like an endless fight, take solace in the fact that relief is coming—researchers are fast at work developing long-lasting and universal flu vaccines that could keep patients safe from the flu longer and more effectively.
Cardinal Health Flu Vaccine Program
Make sure your health system is prepared for the flu year round.