Innovative Approaches to Vaccination Challenges: Overcoming Barriers for Adult Patients

[Marnica]

I just was able to get a transcript for an online medical training where MD's are talking to each other about the problem with low adult vaccination rates and how to "solve" this issue and increase % of adults who get all reccomended vaccines. This is how the medical folks talk to each other. Since it is a password protected site I can't link to the whole transcript but it struck me how they see people that are not up to date as problems to be solved. here are some highlights

they talk about reasons people get vaccinated and sited "habit" as one of the main reasons.

If a patient has a habit of influenza immunization on an annual basis, we also want to use that to add pneumococcal immunization

and of course they talk about us refusers

we also clearly have some patients who refuse vaccines. They are concerned about side effects.... there are some that have a fairly fixed belief, but most patients are open to listening to their healthcare providers.

my translation: most people will listen to what we tell them to do.


Then they went on to site physicians and nurses who "hesitate" about vaccines themselves because they are concerned about their efficacy and their saftey as a problem that patients pick up on. What infuriated me is their reccomendations to improve vacccine uptake. One doctor actually shared what he does when the nurse is in with a patient and they initially refuse a vaccine. He "trained' her in how to handle the situation:

Oh dear (in a deeply concerned voice), you'll have to wait; Dr. **** is with another patient. He'll be with you shortly because he wants everyone immunized. He'll want to talk to you personally." Most patients said, "How much time do you think that would be?" "Dr. **** will be out in 15 minutes," the nurse would say. Most patients would say, "Oh, give me the vaccine.

and of course they address how to deal with us refusers...the answer is education!! Beacuse as we all know patients that refuse vaccines do so because they are uneducated about them and about the diseases they prevent!

1 doctor refers to vaccines as the ultimate in preventive medicine!

The whole presentation made me ill and this is what happens behind closed doors...there is no talk of meeting the patient where they are at or respecting their wishes if they choose not to vaccinate. We are problems that must be overcome and strategies to do this are educating us because we are stupid and/or making the visit unpleasant and LONG in an attempt to get us to cave because we don't have another 15 minutes to wait for the doctor!

[peainthepod]

Marketing experts talk the same way and view consumers in the same light. It's about persuasion and emotional manipulation, not necessarily having the best or safest product. The hard sell, in other words.

[peainthepod]

making the visit unpleasant and LONG in an attempt to get us to cave because we don't have another 15 minutes to wait for the doctor!

I almost hope some smooth-talking quack tries that on me. I'd be out the door with a "Bill me!" called back over my shoulder before the nurse could finish the sentence. People should remember at all times that the doctor needs them a whole hell of a lot more than they need that particular doctor. We are customers and need to start acting like it.

[Jugs]

Something similar happened to us recently. We see a FP who is part of a very large practice; her waiting list for an appointment averages 6 weeks, but we put up with the hassle because she is the only tolerant doctor left around here. Anyway, ds' school requested an updated physical, and we wouldn't be able to see our FP before the paperwork was due, so we got an appointment with another doctor in the practice. Aside from being kept waiting for 55 minutes until he came in (and that's with an appointment), it was a hassle-free visit, except that he kept remarking that he didn't understand the point of having a check-up if we don't vax . So, after we got the school papers filled out, he says he "needs to speak with his supervisor" about not vaccinating. I'm like whatever, so we waited for a good 10-15 minutes, then I said screw this, let's just go. As we walked down the hall, we passed him yacking with the supervisor, I said "We've been in this office for two straight hours and my children have been very patient. As far as I'm concerned, this appointment is over." Their mouths just hung open, lol.

[newmum35]

Originally Posted by Jugs

Something similar happened to us recently. We see a FP who is part of a very large practice; her waiting list for an appointment averages 6 weeks, but we put up with the hassle because she is the only tolerant doctor left around here. Anyway, ds' school requested an updated physical, and we wouldn't be able to see our FP before the paperwork was due, so we got an appointment with another doctor in the practice. Aside from being kept waiting for 55 minutes until he came in (and that's with an appointment), it was a hassle-free visit, except that he kept remarking that he didn't understand the point of having a check-up if we don't vax . So, after we got the school papers filled out, he says he "needs to speak with his supervisor" about not vaccinating. I'm like whatever, so we waited for a good 10-15 minutes, then I said screw this, let's just go. As we walked down the hall, we passed him yacking with the supervisor, I said "We've been in this office for two straight hours and my children have been very patient. As far as I'm concerned, this appointment is over." Their mouths just hung open, lol.

Nicely done!! I always wish I could say great things like that when the moment arises!

Marnica, thank you for the post. I find it appalling they want to get adults on the schedule as well. Not suprised, I know their intent is to get as many vaccines as they can into everyone, forever from cradle to grave. But, still appalled, esp. at the one doctor's "strategy" - that is wicked.

[Turquesa]

While listening to a segment on Talk of the Nation yesterday, I caught a whiff of this mentality that the OP experienced. One doctor went off about how many people won't get the H1N1 vax because "they don't like needles." (Am I the only one sick of this misrepresentation?) The solution, of course, is to "educate" those of us benighted individuals who dare to question their vaccine dogma.