Organizations Collaborate to Raise Awareness for Flu Vaccination
CHICAGO – November 26, 2018 – Outcome Health, a healthcare innovation company focused on evolving the point-of-care experience, today announced a partnership with the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Foundation. The Foundation is the charitable arm of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. IDSA represents a community of more than 11,000 physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who specialize in infectious diseases. Outcome Health and the IDSA Foundation will launch a nationwide campaign raising awareness of the importance of flu vaccination and reach patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals at the point of care.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 80,000 Americans died of the flu in the winter of 2017-2018, the highest toll from seasonal flu in more than a decade.
“Anyone can get the flu–even healthy people–and serious problems related to flu can happen at any age, but some people are at high risk of developing serious flu-related complications if they get sick,” said Bill Powderly, MD, FIDSA, IDSA Foundation Chair. “This includes people 65 years and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease, as well as pregnant women, and children younger than 5 years.”
The IDSA Foundation’s conFLUsion campaign was created to dispel many misconceptions people have about flu. Outcome Health will distribute this content across its platform, which includes technologies such as waiting room TV screens, which can promote specialty-specific content and deliver lifestyle management videos to patients pre-consultation, and exam room wallboards, which offer access to 3D anatomical renderings for use during the consultation.
“Immunization is the most effective way to prevent influenza, and all people over 6 months of age are recommended to get the vaccine,” said IDSA member Kathryn Edwards, MD, FIDSA, professor of pediatrics in the division of infectious diseases at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. “Everyone should receive their vaccine before the influenza season begins this winter. The flu vaccine is available from health care providers now.”
“Outcome Health is committed to partnering with leaders in healthcare,” said Matt McNally, Chief Executive Officer at Outcome Health. “Given how preventable the spread of flu can be, this collaboration with the IDSA Foundation ensures that their expertise reaches patients at their most critical moments of care.”
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Contact:
Outcome Health Press Office
pressoffice@outcomehealth.com
Jennifer Morales
jmorales@idsociety.org
About the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the IDSA Foundation
IDSA Foundation’s purpose is to improve the health of individuals, communities, and society by promoting excellence in patient care, education, research, public health, and prevention relating to infectious diseases (ID). Since its inception, the IDSA Foundation has taken major steps to reduce the devastating impact infectious diseases have had on humanity by empowering the next generation of ID leaders, investing in research, and advocating for patient care. All of us are vulnerable to infectious diseases, from drug-resistant superbugs to the next influenza pandemic. We believe ID specialists are the catalyst for reducing the burdens of infectious diseases. We know by increasing the number of well-trained ID professionals for tomorrow, we are ensuring there will be enough ID specialists equipped to take on the next infectious disease threat. Visit: www.idsafoundation.org/about/whats-id-got-to-do-with-me/influenza-flu to learn more about the campaign and to find your nearest vaccination provider.
About Outcome Health
Outcome Health is a healthcare innovation company reinventing the point of care to facilitate better outcomes for patients, caregivers, and healthcare professionals. Through partnerships with nonprofit organizations, health advocacy groups, leading content creators and brand sponsors, Outcome Health makes critical moments more impactful by bringing educational content into the physician’s office. Our BPA-certified digital network includes over 150,000 devices in more than 40,000 physician offices and health systems across the country, serving informative health content when it’s most relevant and most needed.