Community

Spectrum Health Works With Businesses to Prevent Flu

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone older than six months be vaccinated for the influenza, or flu, this year. Spectrum Health is making a special effort to prevent the spread of this disease by reaching out to area businesses to hold on-site flu clinics.

“By providing on-site flu clinics for their employees, they are protecting their employees from the flu, but also protecting themselves from sick days, loss in productivity and insurance costs for urgent care or emergency room visits,” said Kevin Vos, program director, Spectrum Health Continuing Care.

Spectrum Health Visiting Nurse Association (VNA) has already scheduled dozens of flu clinics at businesses throughout West Michigan. Their licensed nurses are able to give the vaccination to employees right at their place of employment, making it as easy as possible to get the flu shot. Each business is able to customize their clinic with how they want to arrange coverage of the flu vaccine and if they want to offer it to the family members of their employees. In addition, a flu tool kit has been created to help businesses promote the clinic to their employees which is available online.

Businesses who are interested in scheduling a clinic should call Thale Varana, flu coordinator, at 616.486.3050.

Spectrum Health offers several additional ways for people to get vaccinated. More information can be found at www.spectrumhealth.org/flu.

Spectrum Health is a not-for-profit health system, based in West Michigan, offering a full continuum of care through the Spectrum Health Hospital Group, which is comprised of 10 hospitals including Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital; 130 ambulatory and service sites; 975 advanced practice providers and employed physicians including members of the Spectrum Health Medical Group and West Michigan Heart physician groups; and Priority Health, a health plan. Spectrum Health is West Michigan’s largest employer with 20,000 employees. The organization provided $204 million in community benefit during its 2012 fiscal year.