Page 18 - OCMS4Q21

PRACTICE MANAGEMENT
Reduce Patient Safety Risks with Vaccinations, Including COVID-19
By Debra Hill, MBA, RN, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager,
and Lisa McCorkle, MSN, CPHRM, Senior Patient Safety Risk Manager, The Doctors Company
With the CDC panel’s recommendation on November 2, 2021, that children ages 5 to 11 can receive the Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine, healthcare provid- ers may be asking what risks they face in administer- ing vaccines, especially to children, and what they should do when parents refuse to have their children vaccinated.
Vaccine administration is usually regarded as a simple office procedure, often performed without the direct supervision of the physician or a licensed professional. Although vaccinations are a routine procedure, physicians and staff should remain vigi- lant about patient safety considerations. Whether you’re seeing children for COVID-19 vaccinations or adults for travel abroad or general disease preven- tion, take time now to assess the vaccine administra- tion protocol in your practice.
As with any medical intervention, the risks, bene- fits, and alternatives of the vaccination must be discussed and documented in the medical record, as well as ensuring that safety protocols are followed.
What to Do When a Patient Declines Vaccines
It is a physician’s obligation to talk with all patients (or their guardians) about what could happen if they decline vaccination. This discussion should include these points:
18
• Not vaccinating can result in disease or even death.
• Unvaccinated children and adults pose a threat to the population of people who are unable to receive vaccinations due to age or weakened immune systems, such as those with leukemia, who rely on the general public being vaccinated to reduce their risk of exposure.
• Social implications may include exclusion and quarantine. If there is an outbreak in a commu- nity, parents may be asked to remove their unvaccinated child from organized events and activities due to the threat of transmission.
• Females of childbearing age who are unvacci- nated and who become pregnant are vulnerable to diseases such as rubella, which can cause congenital rubella syndrome with congenital fetal anomalies.
Parents should be reminded to alert medical personnel of their child’s immunization status each time the child seeks healthcare should distinctive care be required.
Could This Happen in Your Office?
The Doctors Company performed a closed claims analysis of vaccine-related events in the medical office setting. Could similar situations occur in your office?
DECEMBER 2021/JANUARY 2022 | WWW.OCMS-MI.ORG