Bulletin: October 21, 2009
Flu Information Resources for Healthcare Professionals
The CMS recently released the 2009-2010 Seasonal Influenza (Flu) Resources for Health Care Professionals. The publication includes a list of educational documents developed by CMS to be used by Medicare FFS healthcare professionals. For a complete list, see http://www.cms.hhs.gov/ContractorLearningResources/downloads/JA0926.pdf. The related article is located at http://www.cms.hhs.gov/MLNMattersArticles/downloads/SE0926.pdf.
The flu vaccine continues to be the most effective method for preventing flu virus infection and its potentially severe complications. Because flu season can begin as early as October and last as late as May, the optimal time to get a flu vaccine is in October or November. However, this year, due to planning for H1N1 flu, Medicare will make payment for seasonal flu vaccines that are provided earlier in the year than usual.
The following non-CMS resources are just a few of the many available in which clinicians may find useful information and tools to help increase flu vaccine awareness and utilization during the 2008 – 2009 flu season:
- Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices
http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/recs/acip/default.htm - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention -
http://www.cdc.gov/flu - Flu.gov
http://www.flu.gov