Campus Location
Dallas Campus (Online)
Date of Award
10-2019
ORCID
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9001-776X
Document Type
DNP Project
Department
Nursing
Degree Name
Doctor of Nursing Practice
Committee Chair or Primary Advisor
Jonas Nguh
Second Committee Member or Secondary Advisor
Tonya Sawyer-McGee
Third Committee Member or Committee Reader
Molly Kuhle
Abstract
The purpose of this project was to examine a university health clinic’s influenza vaccination program in a suburban city in a western U.S. state, and to explore the effects of partnering with a local pharmacy to overcome billing issues. A program evaluation was conducted to identify the potential barrier of cost for students. The health clinic was not set up to bill private health insurance for students; therefore, if students wanted to get a flu shot, they had to pay out of pocket for it. A pilot program was created in conjunction with the program director, partnering with the local branch of a national pharmacy chain to bring in its services for the day. The pharmacy could bill students’ private insurance, making the immunization free for students who had coverage. The impact on overall influenza vaccination rates was evaluated by comparing data from the program extension and historical data from years with no pharmacy partnership. The results showed a significant increase in vaccination rates with the pharmacy mobile clinic option. Key recommendations for universities that do not bill student insurance for influenza vaccines given in the health clinic include: (a) partner with a local pharmacy to provide mobile flu shot clinics on campuses for two or more days; (b) discuss with the pharmacy if it can write off denied claims for students, and if so, get an agreement in writing; and (c) market the mobile flu shot clinic using the principles of the theory of planned behavior.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Recommended Citation
Hargrave, Kristi, "Examining Opportunities to Increase Flu Vaccine Uptake on College Campuses Through Pharmacy Partnerships" (2019). Digital Commons @ ACU, Electronic Theses and Dissertations. Paper 167.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/etd/167