HMSA enables businesses to protect their employees from the flu virus by administering flu vaccines at the workplace. By making the vaccine available to all employees, employers can reduce the risk that employees will contract the flu and/or transmit the flu to family members, friends and co-workers.

Influenza can costs businesses considerable money each year due to employee absenteeism, lost productivity, increase health benefit costs and more. A study by the University of Minnesota estimated that flu immunization in healthy working adults results in 43% fewer days of sick leave due to upper respiratory illness and 44% fewer visits to doctors offices for respiratory illness.

Information based on double blind, placebo-controlled study of 849 full-time, working adults, age 18-64 years of age that evaluated the effect of vaccination on upper respiratory illnesses during the 1994-1995 influenza season. (Nichol, MEJM, 1995)

A convenient and accessible workplace program allows more employees to be immunized. Employees often do not take the time to get a flu shot at their family physician's office. Forty-five percent of employees surveyed in a recent study indicated that they would be more likely to obtain a flu shot if it were available at their workplace. Holding an on-site clinic means that employees do not need to take time off to visit their doctor or incur the out-of-pocket expenses for the office visit.

HMSA 2006 Data – Majority of flu shots administered in the physician's office are in coordination with an office visit.

Healthy people should get vaccinated to protect themselves and their families from the ever changing influenza virus. The influenza virus thrives in the typical office environment, and will infect almost one in four people each flu season.

Vaccine effectiveness varies from one person to another. Protection from the vaccine develops about one to two weeks after the shot, and may last up to one year. The vaccine is about 70% to 90% effective in preventing influenza illness in healthy adults. In elderly people, the vaccine can prevent pneumonia and hospitalization in about six out of ten people. People who receive the vaccine can still get influenza, but if they do, it is usually milder than it would have been without the shot.

No. There is no live virus in the inactivated vaccine so you can't get the flu from the shot. A small percentage of people who get flu shot may experience a low-grade fever and mild aches and pains, but they do not have the flu. It takes about two weeks for the shot to impart full immunity, so it is possible that a recently vaccinated person could still catch the flu. Also, it is possible that the person getting the shot had already been exposed to the flu or some common cold virus. Cold viruses have peak activity in autumn, coinciding with the time when flu shots are given.

Employers (with a minimum of 25 participants) can contact their HMSA representative to request an on-site clinic. ISI will send the group an Employer Flu Clinic Sponsor Packet. They will need to complete the Employer Information and fax it to ISI Health Enhancement Services. They also need to designate a contact person. ISI will work with the contact to schedule dates and times and the amount of vaccines requested for their flu shot clinic(s). The employer will need to complete and return a Memo of Agreement in order to confirm their clinic. The contact will also receive a confirmation packet including instructions, CDC information and registration/consent forms several weeks prior to the clinic.

There is a remote possibility that ISI may have to cancel a scheduled flu clinic. The cancellation of a clinic would occur if ISI's flu vaccine supply could not meet the public demand. ISI will contact the employer well in advance to allow their employees to seek the flu shot elsewhere. Sessions may also be cancelled if the employer does not complete the Memo of Agreement. Currently, there are no indications of a vaccine shortage. ISI has received a full shipment of vaccines for the 2009 flu campaign.

Yes. Employers will be charged a $60.00/hour fee for each nurse that ISI uses to administer the flu shots. On average, an ISI nurse can immunize up to 40 employees per hour.

Due to the travel requirements and time needed to conduct neighbor island clinics, a set-up fee of $300 will be charged to Neighbor Island employers for on-site flu clinics. Neighbor Island groups will also be charged a $60.00/hour fee for each nurse that ISI uses to administer the flu shots.

The influenza shot is available at no cost to all HMSA members. The vaccine will be available to non-HMSA members at a cost of $40.00. ISI will invoice a company for the total number of vaccines administered to non-HMSA employees. ISI will not collect money from non-HMSA employees at the on-site clinic.

The minimum number of employees needed to sponsor a clinic is 25 participants. The onsite flu clinic will not be scheduled if the minimum participation amount is not met.

ISI will invoice the company for the balance of unused vaccines. For example, if only 30 of the 40 reserved vaccines were used, ISI will charge the group $25.00/each for the 10 remaining vaccines. The unused vaccines will be placed back in to ISI's inventory. Unused vaccines will not be given to the group for use at a later date.

ISI will bring the confirmed amount of vaccines to the clinic. Nurses will only administer the reserved amount of vaccines for the duration of the agreed upon schedule or until the vaccines supply is depleted. Additional vaccines may or may not be available depending on the overall availability of the vaccines. If possible, ISI will try to accommodate groups that request for additional vaccines.

It is best to receive the influenza vaccine in October to December before the flu season starts. This will give the body time to build protection against the influenza virus. Because the influenza virus changes often, it is necessary to get the flu shot every year, for protection against the virus types that are expected that year.

Yes. For 2009, ISI's vaccines will contain thimerosal. Thimerosal is a preservative that has been used since the 1930s to prevent contamination in some multi-dose vials of vaccines.

Yes. Employers can also refer employees to the HMSA community flu clinics throughout the state. For a complete list of clinics, go to http://www.hmsa.com.