Improved Influenza Vaccination Rates in a Rural Population as a Result of a Pharmacist-Managed Immunization Campaign Jenny A. Van Amburgh, Pharm.D., Nancy M. Waite, Pharm.D., Eric H. Hobson, Ph.D., and Hedy Migden, M.D. Study Objective. To increase the rate of influenza vaccinations in high-risk patients by means of a pharmacist-managed immunization campaign. Design. Unblinded, single intervention. Setting. Rural primary care clinic. Patients. Six hundred fifty-seven patients at high risk for contracting influenza according to criteria established by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Intervention. High-risk patients identified by chart review were mailed an education packet on influenza immunization. Vaccinations were given in specially designated clinics and during routine clinic visits. Campaign success and reasons why patients remained unvaccinated were determined by follow-up surveys. Measurements and Main Results . The influenza vaccination rate increased from 28% at baseline (before program initiation) to 54% after program initiation. Unvaccinated patients were younger and resided in more urban areas than vaccinated patients; vaccinated patients had a higher frequency of cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus. Vaccinated patients consistently identified the education packet and their health care providers as primary motivators for vaccination. Conclusion. Our pharmacist-managed vaccine program increased the influenza immunization rate in high-risk patients. (Pharmacotherapy 2001;21(9):1115–1122) Influenza continues to plague the United States population, ranking as the sixth leading cause of death when combined with pneumonia, and resulting in an average of 114,000 hospitaliza- tions/year. 1, 2 From health and financial perspectives, vaccinating patients who are at high risk for contracting influenza is the most effective method of preventing the illness and its consequences. The influenza vaccine provides healthy individuals with 70–90% protection and elderly individuals with approximately 50% protection. 3, 4 A meta-analysis of 20 studies examining the effect of the vaccine among the elderly found that efficacy was 56% for From School of Pharmacy, Bouvé College of Health Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (Dr. Van Amburgh); the Departments of Pharmacy Practice (Dr. Waite) and Humanities and Social Sciences (Dr. Hobson), Albany College of Pharmacy, Albany, New York; and Altamont Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Altamont, New York (Dr. Migden). Supported by an intramural research grant from Albany College of Pharmacy. Presented in poster form at the annual meeting of the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, Los Angeles, California, November 5–8, 2000, and the Eastern States Conference for Pharmacy Residents and Preceptors, Baltimore, Maryland, May 4–6, 2000. Address reprint requests to Nancy M. Waite, Pharm.D., Albany College of Pharmacy, 106 New Scotland Avenue, Albany, NY 12208.