American Thoracic Society Initiative Focuses on COVID-19, Flu, Pneumonia Vaccination

The American Thoracic Society is partnering with several health systems across the country to improve COVID-19, influenza, and pneumococcal vaccination rates in adults.

The initiative stems from a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention grant awarded to the Center of Medical Specialty Societies in the fall of 2021. The grant funds a 5-year effort to advance adult immunization through work carried out by various specialty societies. The American Thoracic Society was tapped by the Center of Medical Specialty Societies to address implementation gaps surrounding COVID-19, influenza, and pneumococcal vaccination in adults with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, and other respiratory diseases.

Each health system partnering with the American Thoracic Society will collect baseline immunization data and test strategies for improving immunization rates. The plan aims to identify strategies that work in specific populations and across health systems by the end of the grant.

Health systems partnering with the American Thoracic Society to carry out the initiative include Grady Health System, Atlanta, Georgia; Meharry Medical College, Nashville, Tennessee; St. Luke’s Health System, Boise, Idaho; the University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado; Wayne Health, Detroit, Michigan; the University of Arizona/Banner Health, Phoenix, Arizona; West Virginia University Hospitals Inc., Morgantown, West Virginia; and San Francisco Health Network/University of California, San Francisco, California.

“As we look to the fall and the beginning of flu season, we are reminded of just how critical the vaccine initiative is,” said M. Patricia Rivera, MD, president of the American Thoracic Society. “We are grateful to our health system partners for collaborating with us to help improve patients’ health across the country.”

Reference

Five new health systems partner with American Thoracic Society on vaccine initiative. News release. American Thoracic Society; September 20, 2023. Accessed November 1, 2023.