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According to a new study, encouraging pharmacists to talk to patients about vaccines could significantly reduce the number of people affected by the flu each year.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo have examined the effects of a $ 15 consultation fee for pharmacists visiting a patient aged 65 and over. They found that in Ontario, this would prevent approximately 2,400 cases of influenza each year.
"Given the high level of interaction between pharmacists and this vulnerable age group, encouraging these discussions at the community level could significantly reduce the number of older people affected by the disease," said Dr. Gokul Raj Pullagura, candidate for PhD and lead author of the book. study, published Wednesday and published in the Journal of the Association of American Pharmacists.
The team used computer modeling to examine the cost-effectiveness of the $ 15 influenza consultation fee for community pharmacists, balancing the resulting cost of vaccinations with savings from avoided hospital visits .
The results suggest that such fees, in addition to the current compensation for the administration of the vaccine, would cost about $ 2 more per person to set up the government, but would reduce hospitalization costs. .
"Given our current method of encouraging people to get vaccinated against influenza, vaccination rates are low. Exploiting the full potential of pharmacists could be a cost-effective way to achieve our goals, "said Pullagura.
According to Health Canada, influenza causes approximately 12,200 hospitalizations and 3,500 deaths annually.
The BC Center for Disease Control distributes approximately 1.5 million doses of influenza vaccine each year, free of charge to residents. Licensed pharmacists have been able to administer vaccines to people five years of age and older since 2009.
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