Patient Handouts Updated for 2011-2012 Flu Season
With the 2011-2012 influenza season about to begin, medical practices are busy vaccinating patients and preparing for the onslaught of patients suffering from flu symptoms.
In addition to stocking up on the flu vaccine, doctors are updating their practice Websites with practical information regarding influenza, including reminders about the importance of getting vaccinated.
Physicians enrolled for Vivacare’s “From Your Doctor” patient education service can create personalized and customizable patient handouts that they publish to their own practice Website to help patients and others in the community better understand and manage their health. The selection of flu-related titles has been updated to meet current guidelines and expanded to help practices efficiently manage inquires about the flu.
Multiple patient handout titles have been updated including “Influenza (flu)”, “Flu Shot”, “Intranasal Flu Vaccine”, “FluMist“, “Antiviral Medications”, and “Tamiflu“.
Vivacare also enhances the doctors’ websites with up-to-date links to trusted health resources, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of the Health (NIH), and American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Resources include links to flu.gov and a new Flu Surveillance Map showing the outbreak of the influenza virus by region.
The educational content distributed by Vivacare provides patients with health information from the source they trust most…their own doctor. A 2011 survey by Vivacare showed that health consumers were most likely to refer to their own doctor’s Website for health information (65.2%), compared to WebMD (48.7%), insurance companies (18.2%) or pharmaceutical firms (5.4%). This survey complements previous studies that show physicians as the preferred source of health information.
“Flu season returns each year, burdening patients and physicians alike”, said Mark Becker, M.D. pediatrician and President of Vivacare. “Vivacare is pleased to provide its physicians with tools to educate their patients about the importance of getting vaccinated and help reduce the impact of this disease.”
