RediClinic Helps Fight Flu Season

by Reid Schwartz, Vollmer Austin

It’s that time of year again: we’re on the brink of flu season, a time when people across the country rush to protect themselves and their families from the potentially deadly virus. We at Vollmer are particularly aware of flu season since we represent RediClinic, high-quality, affordable healthcare clinics located in H-E-B grocery stores in Texas to spread the word about health-related issues affecting the community.

This year, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) warns that the flu bug already has reared its ugly head in states across the U.S., and is strongly recommending that all men, women – including pregnant women – and children older than six months receive the seasonal flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available.

Our friends at RediClinic offer the following tips as we enter the flu season:

PREVENT IT!

The best way to prevent the flu is to get vaccinated. There are two types of vaccines this flu season.

The traditional flu shot is the most common and well known vaccine available, and involves an injection given into the muscle. The flu shot will be available soon, so check with your local clinic or doctor’s office for availability.

Have a problem with needles? The FluMist® is a needle-free, nasal-spray flu vaccine that is approved for children and adults 2-49 years of age. This vaccine is administered with a gentle, quick spray in each nostril – one of the places where the flu virus enters the body. FYI, FluMist® is now available at RediClinic, so drop on by!

Remember the 2009 H1N1 virus, better known as the swine flu? This year, the CDC expects the H1N1 virus to cause illness again along with a number of other influenza viruses. Luckily, this year’s flu vaccine (both the injectable and the flu mist) will protect against the 2009 H1N1 and two other influenza viruses as well, so you’ll only need to get one vaccine to protect yourself from all of those strains.

TREAT IT!

Sometimes, try as you might, you get bit by the flu bug. Should this happen, walk-in to your local clinic (no appointments are necessary at RediClinic!) and a clinician can perform a diagnostic test for your symptoms, then provide effective treatment options to get you better faster.

Remember, many people, including the elderly, young children and people with certain health conditions are at a higher risk for serious flu complications. The flu also can make chronic health problems worse. The best way to protect yourself, your family and the people you come into contact with from the flu virus is to get the flu vaccine each year as soon as it is available.

With all that said, if you do get the flu this year, please stay home and take care of yourself. You’ll be doing us all a huge favor!

Stay healthy!

Healthcare: The New Buzzword

by India Chumney-Hancock, VOLLMER Houston

Who knew that healthcare could be so interesting? In just a few short months healthcare has become the new buzzword with everyone from the media, government, employers, the industry, community organizations, kids and seniors all talking about affordable, accessible healthcare. Spring 2009 will be an interesting ride as hospitals, health plans, physicians and drug companies set forth their agenda and strategies for sitting at the table with policy decision makers.

There are many healthcare organizations praising the economic stimulus bill, which includes at least $150 billion for healthcare. But let’s not get too excited just yet. President Obama just announced a budget that creates a 10-year, $634 billion ‘reserve fund’ that partially pays for a vast expansion of the U.S. healthcare system.

Where’s the money? The funding will come from trimming tax breaks for families with incomes above $250,000 and tightening payments to insurers, hospitals and physicians.

What do we do now? Senior executives need to be mandating that their communications and public advocacy departments collaborate now more than ever before. Obama’s interest in healthcare policy will fuel media interest and organizations need to get in front of the new administration and legislators to establish relationships with them.

The partnership between communications and public affairs will require a strategy that not only positions organizations, but defines them as well. The health care reform debate will require healthcare organizations to take an active role in finding innovative ways to engage key stakeholders and encourage them to get involved.

Below are a few things to consider before your company or organization develops its action plan:

• The key to success in today’s world is honest talk across all audiences in everyday communication. The organization that stands by its culture, business models and core values and makes sure that its internal and external communications are entirely honest, genuine and transparent will be the trusted partner.
  
  
• Really consider social media such as blogs, text messaging and mobile networking that provide a forum to communicate facts and share opinions on many of the issues in healthcare policy. Realizing that it must be used responsibly, in compliance and for the benefit of the public.
  
  
• Encourage key stakeholders to get involved not just by writing a letter, but by asking hard questions, spreading the word, and providing feedback.
  
  
• Consider partnerships and collaborations with advocacy organizations that may help your company tell the facts and story in a stronger way.
  
  
• Knowledge sharing can provide an effective way to not be seen as just an insurer, hospital or physician but as an organization that is leading the healthcare conversation.