With flu season coming up, you’re probably just starting to plan your next on-site flu shot clinic. Which is great news because corporate flu shots are the best way to protect your office from a flu epidemic. Every flu season is a little bit different, so early planning will help ensure that you’ll get the right protection for your workforce.
We know that planning an on-site flu shot clinic can be a little bit tricky if you’re not sure what questions to ask your vendor. So, we rounded up 10 of the most common questions clients have about planning a corporate flu shot clinic. Here are some questions to keep in mind as you plan:
Q: When should employees receive their flu shots?
A: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends getting vaccinated before the flu starts circulating. Most experts agree that it’s ideal to receive your flu shot by the end of October. September and October are the most popular months to host a flu shot clinic.
Q: The Affordable Care Act (ACA) covers flu shots under preventative care. Can we bill insurance for our flu clinic?
A: The ACA does cover flu shots, but “covered” doesn’t mean “free.” Even if you bill insurance, your company is still paying for the shots – just out of a different part of the budget. Because of the extra steps involved with billing insurance, it can also be more expensive. These reasons, along with the complexity of working with a variety of insurance carriers, have led TotalWellness to avoid insurance billing for flu shot clinics.
Q: How does TotalWellness staff onsite flu shot clinics?
A: We have a network of over 6,000 health professionals contracted to work with us nationwide. We provide qualified nurses to work your onsite flu shot clinic – only RNs, LPNs, and LVNs administer flu shots at TotalWellness.
Q: Is there a minimum number of shots we need to order?
A: For an onsite flu clinic, we require companies to order at least 20 shots per event. If that doesn’t work for you and your company, touch base with an account executive to go over any other options that might be available. We also offer a voucher program if needed!
Q: What's required for setup?
A: We like to take care of most of the stress when you book a flu shot clinic through us. That means we don’t require much from you when it comes to setting up your clinic. We’ll just need you to reserve a comfortable space in your office with chairs, tables, and trashcans. Our nurses will bring all of the vaccine and all the supplies. They’ll leave the space just as they found it – making your job as easy as possible!
Q: How do we communicate about the flu clinic to our employees?
A: There are many ways to communicate and promote your clinic to employees. Be sure to keep these tips in mind:
- Educate your employees on the importance of the flu shot
- Communicate early and often about the clinic
- Use methods to which your employees respond well (emails, newsletters, meeting announcement)
- Utilize the free resources offered by us and organizations like the CDC
Q: How many flu shots should we order?
A: If you’ve hosted a flu shot clinic before, review your company’s past participation rates. If this is a new initiative, we recommend starting with about 30% of your employee population. You can increase your order as you get closer to the event, so it's always best to start lower. If you’re not sure where to start, consider sending out an anonymous poll in a company email blast to get a better feel for how many employees would be interested in getting vaccinated.
Q: Can pregnant women receive the flu shot?
A: Of course! Pregnant women are a population that should always receive a flu shot – as long as it’s a preservative-free vaccine. However, it’s important to be aware that many pregnant women will receive their annual flu shot through there doctor (as they will most likely be seeing their doctor on a regular basis). TotalWellness will administer flu vaccines to pregnant women if a client orders preservative-free vaccines.
Q: How long is the duration of the flu shot clinic?
A: Our nurses are scheduled to administer 20-23 flu shots per nurse, per hour. We’ll use this rate and the number of shots you order to estimate an accurate time frame. If your company needs extra staffing hours for whatever reason, just speak to your account executive and they will be happy to arrange an alternative schedule!
Q: What type of lead-time do we need to set up a flu shot clinic?
A: We require a minimum of four to six weeks notice to plan and schedule your flu event. Remember to always give your flu shot vendor a call sooner rather than later! If you wait until the flu strains start circulating to schedule your clinic, that’ll just make things more stressful for you, your vendor, and your employees.
We hope these answers help clear up any uncertainties about planning your corporate flu shot clinic this season. Be sure to ask your flu shot vendor these common questions to help you understand the process and help your on-site clinic run as smoothly as possible.
What other questions do you have about scheduling a flu shot clinic? Free feel to leave a question in the comment section below!
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Editor's note: This blog was originally published in June 2015 and has been updated for freshness, accuracy, and relevance.
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