Regional West Medical Center - Drive-Through Flu Shot Clinics

What is it?

The Regional West Drive-Through Flu Shot Clinic is a collaborative effort between Regional West Medical Center and a local primary care physicians’ group to encourage more people to get flu shots. The event has been held annually in October since 2003. Nurses and student nurses volunteer for two-hour shifts on an autumn Saturday morning to give flu shots to patients while they sit in the comfort of their warm cars. The event is promoted with a logo of a “Flu Bug” driving a VW bug, coupled with the slogan “Say Good-bye to the Flu.” A media blitz launched the day before the first clinic involved a team of nurses driving around town in an actual VW “Flu Bug” to personally give shots to local media personalities to generate positive publicity. We continue to utilize media vaccination blitzes to promote flu shots annually – stopping at the local newspaper offices, radio, and television stations.

Who is it for?

The Drive-Through Clinic targets high-risk flu patients, particularly seniors over age 65 and those with chronic health and mobility issues. A Walk-In Clinic is always held a week after the Drive-Through Clinic to provide flu shots for all other adults and children who want flu shots. In addition, Regional West Community Health nurses provide Work Site Flu Shot Clinics for area businesses. In 2012, more than 1,800 flu shots were given at the Drive-Through, Walk-In, and Work Site Flu Shot Clinics combined. This total does not include flu shots given locally by individual health care providers.

Why do they do it?

The drive-through process is quicker and more convenient for patients than going to their health care provider’s office. It has also proved to be far more convenient for our health care providers because large numbers of high-risk patients can be quickly vaccinated without the need for individual appointments.

Impact

By turning a standard public health promotion into a fun media event and increasing the convenience, speed, and efficiency of getting flu shots, the Drive-Through Flu Shot Clinics have consistently attracted 600 to 700 patients per clinic every year since 2003. The inaugural event generated a 35 percent increase in flu shots over the preceding year. In addition, the Scotts Bluff County Health Department recognizes and utilizes this event as a crisis training exercise. Scotts Bluff County Health Director Bill Wineman views the drive-through clinic as a training opportunity for mass inoculation, in case the need should ever arise. He and local Community Emergency Response Team members volunteer annually to provide traffic control and registration assistance.

Contact: Joanne Krieg
Marketing and Public Relations Contract Specialist
Telephone: 308-630-1687
E-mail: kriegjo@rwmc.net