A COMPREHENSIVE INFLUENZA CAMPAIGN IN A MANAGED CARE SETTING

Group Health Cooperative a large, membership-governed, staff model hea lth maintenance organization (HMO), has designed a comprehensive influ enza campaign for identifying, recruiting and vaccinating enrollees at increased risk for influenza-related complications. The Cooperative's Centre for Health Promotion is responsible for the overall planning, implementation and evaluation of the influenza campaign. The model for delivering influenza immunizations has been designed to build on the strengths and capabilities of a staff model HMO with sophisticated aut omated information systems. The model permits area medical centres (AM Cs) and physicians to use the materials and intervention strategies ge nerated by the Centre for Health Promotion, while at the same time all owing them flexibility to design and use their own intervention strate gies to increase compliance. More importantly, the model reduces resou rce requirements on AMCs and physicians to plan and maintain internal immunization efforts. Recommendations for improving the influenza camp aign are discussed. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All ri ghts reserved.