Article 8 SB 7 Policy on Vaccine Preventable

Diseases

Neil Pascoe RN BSN CICEpidemiologist

APIC San Antonio April 2012

Vaccine is Good, Disease is Bad

• Measles• Small pox• Polio• And on and on

Who must have a HCP/HCW Vaccination Policy?

• “Health care facility" means the following:• hospital• ambulatory surgical • birthing center • abortion facility • special care facility (hospice or special residential

care facility) • end stage renal disease facility• freestanding emergency medical care facility or• a hospital maintained or operated by this state.

Who must be covered by the Vaccination Policy

• Employees• Contractors (prn, per diem, temporary staff)• Anyone granted privileges to provide direct

patient care• Does not apply to volunteers

– (reminder) anyone under 18 vaccinated must have their vaccination entered into the state registry (ImmTrac)

ACIP/CDC Recommended Vaccinationsfor Health Care Professionals

• HBV• Influenza• Pertussis

• Meningococcal• MMR• Varicella

When shall the Vaccination Policy be in Place

• September 1, 2012

What shall be in the Vaccination Policy

•require covered individuals to receive vaccines for the vaccine preventable diseases specified by the facility based on the level of risk the individual presents to patients by the individual's routine and direct exposure to patients;

• specify the vaccines a covered individual is required to receive based on the level of risk the individual presents to patients by the individual's routine and direct exposure to patients;

What shall be in the Vaccination Policy

•  include procedures for verifying whether a covered individual has complied with the policy;

•  include procedures for a covered individual to be exempt from the required vaccines for the medical conditions identified as contraindications or precautions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention;

What shall be in the Vaccination Policy

•for a covered individual who is exempt from the required vaccines, include procedures the individual must follow to protect facility patients from exposure to disease, such as the use of protective medical equipment, such as gloves and masks, based on the level of risk the individual presents to patients by the individual's routine and direct exposure to patients;  • prohibit discrimination or retaliatory action against a covered individual who is exempt from the required vaccines for the medical conditions identified as contraindications or precautions by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, except that required use of protective medical equipment, such as gloves and masks, may not be considered retaliatory action for purposes of this subdivision;

What shall be in the Vaccination Policy

•  require the health care facility to maintain a written or electronic record of each covered individual's compliance with or exemption from the policy; and  •  include disciplinary actions the health care facility is authorized to take against a covered individual who fails to comply with the policy. 

And may

•  include procedures for a covered individual to be exempt from the required vaccines based on reasons of conscience, including a religious belief.

Other Provisions

• Disaster Exemption- prevent a exempt employee from providing direct patient care

• Enforcement: DSHS to enforce similar to other Licensing violations

• DSHS must write rules no later than June 1, 2012

Added after the presentation•The rules for Article 8 from SB 7 passed last year are posted for comment. The easiest way to find them at the link below is to search for “vaccination” or you may scroll down to page 2862 (p44). Comments will be accepted until May 20 and instructions are provided on how to submit comments. I think this legislation may have a significant impact to most facilities and from what I am hearing, many IPs feel they will be involved in this effort to vaccinate HCWs. • •http://www.sos.state.tx.us/texreg/pdf/backview/0420/0420prop.pdf

Resources

• Facilities and laws: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/hfp/statutes.shtm#scf

• DSHS Immunizations: http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/immunize/

• CDC Immunizations: http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ed/courses.htm

• http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/• http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/pdf/rr/rr6007.pdf