How to Make Recommendations that Matter to Patients
Every year, large numbers of Americans get sick and die as a result of seasonal flu. Yet, many of your patients may underestimate flu’s severity or their own susceptibility to catching it. If patients don’t understand that they are at risk and that risk could be serious, they may not prioritize getting their seasonal flu vaccines. This webinar will assist healthcare professionals with making recommendations and addressing important questions from patients.
Webinar Objectives:
Understand burden and severity of last year’s flu season
Describe flu vaccine benefits, including potential flu burden averted by vaccination
Describe how to make a strong and effective flu vaccine recommendation to patients and why your recommendation matters
Dr. Melissa Rolfes is an epidemiologist in the Influenza Division of CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD). In the Influenza Division, Dr. Rolfes estimates the annual burden of seasonal influenza as well as the burden reduced by influenza vaccination. She received her MPH and PhD in epidemiology and global health from the University of Minnesota in the Twin Cities. She joined the Epidemic Intelligence Service at the CDC in 2014 and was assigned to the Influenza Division.
Sandra Leal is a pharmacist and Certified Diabetes Educator at SinfoníaRx. Dr. Leal received her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree at the University of Colorado School of Pharmacy and her Master of Public Health degree at The University of Massachusetts Amherst School of Public Health and Health Sciences. She joined SinfoníaRx in 2015 as Vice President for Innovation and is now as Chief Operating Officer working on ways to integrate pharmacists with clinical care teams to improve access, outcomes, and quality. She currently sits on the Board of the American Pharmacist Association (APhA) which works to leverage the role of pharmacists in improving vaccination rates.
JoEllen Wolicki is a Nurse Educator with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Communication and Education Branch. Before joining CDC in 2010, she served for 14 years as a Nurse Consultant with the immunization program of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. At the Michigan immunization program, she worked with multiple programs. At CDC, JoEllen serves as a committee member of several work groups for the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), contributes to the Epidemiology and Prevention of Vaccine-Preventable Diseases textbook (the Pink Book), and works on many immunization training and educational materials and programs. She travels throughout the United States to educate healthcare providers on immunization. JoEllen holds a Bachelor of Science degree in nursing from the University of Detroit/Mercy.
