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Standing Orders In An Ambulatory Setting Increases Influenza Vaccine Usage In Older People, Lynne Goebel, Shirley Neitch, Maurice Mufson

Lynne J. Goebel

Objectives: To determine whether standing orders for influenza vaccine increase its usage in an ambulatory setting in elderly patients. Design: Retrospective analysis of influenza vaccine usage over 4 years (1999–2002). Setting: University ambulatory setting. Participants: Overall, 912 elderly patients of two physicians who issued standing orders and 884 elderly patients of two physicians who did not do so constituted the study group. Measurements: Physicians were categorized as to whether they issued a verbal or written standing order to their nurses to administer the influenza vaccine to patients aged 65 and older. Rates of influenza vaccination of patients whose physicians used …