Using mailed patient reminders to increase influenza immunization rates among older adults in a primary care office

To examine the impact of mailed patient reminders on the rate of influenza immunizations for older adults in a large family medicine office in Delaware.

In October 1996, all patients ages 65 years and older who were established patients of the Christiana Care Foulk Road Family Medicine Center were sent a mailing urging them to receive an influenza immunization. Medical records were abstracted for each patient to determine receipt of an influenza immunization in 1995, 1996 and 1997. The proportion of patients who received an influenza immunization in the year prior to the reminder (1995) was compared to the proportion who received an immunization the year the reminder was sent (1996). A secondary analysis examined influenza immunization rates in the subsequent year (1997), when no reminder was sent.

Of the 289 patients in the main study population, 41.8 percent received an influenza immunization in 1995, while 55.4 percent received an immunization in 1996 (p < 0.0001). Immunization rates in 1997 did not change significantly from 1996, and continued to be significantly higher than in 1995. Rates were somewhat lower for persons ages 85 years and older compared to younger groups.

This study indicates that a mailed patient reminder had a positive impact on influenza immunizations for older adults in a large family practice office. This is a relatively simple strategy that, if widely used, could have a major impact on the health of older adults in Delaware.